# Kerala's dog crisis needs planning, not culling

> Kerala is calling for mass dog culling to tackle street dog attacks, but experts say the real problem is failed urban planning and waste management.
- Title: Kerala's dog crisis needs planning, not culling · The Hindu
- Summary: Kerala is calling for mass dog culling to tackle street dog attacks, but experts say the real problem is failed urban planning and waste management. Kerala's…
- Keywords: kerala, street dogs, rabies, urban planning, waste management, animal welfare, public health, dog culling, news, politics, Kerala's, dog
- Source: The Hindu — https://thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/needed-better-urban-planning-not-mass-culling-of-dogs/article56845962.ece1
- Published: 2015-10-03T19:17:16+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: kerala, street dogs, rabies, urban planning, waste management, animal welfare, public health, dog culling, news, politics
## Kerala demands mass dog culling
Banners and posters across Kerala show children bitten by dogs and call for wholesale culling of street dogs. Media debates feature politicians and public figures supporting mass culling as a solution.
## Rabies is a real threat globally
According to World Health Organisation norms of two thousand three, one person dies every thirty minutes due to rabies across the globe. One instance of dog bite occurs every two seconds.
## But Kerala's rabies deaths are low
India accounts for a large share of rabies deaths globally. However, rabies deaths are relatively less frequent in Kerala, thanks to intense post-exposure vaccination.
## How rabies spreads through dog bites
In India, almost every rabies death is caused by dog bites.Rabies virus stays in the host for up to ninety or ninety-five days.
## Public misunderstands rabies risk
There is widespread perception that all dogs in public places are rabies-prone and domestic dogs are safe.A stray dog barking can be branded rabid and killed, while a domestic dog dying from rabies goes unnoticed.
## Vaccination costs are steep
Medical professionals advise post-exposure prophylaxis for contact with dogs or cats. Delayed treatment may require immunoglobulin injection around the wound, costing up to thirty thousand rupees.
## Poor planning caused the dog surge
The sharp increase in dog population in many urban clusters has to do with slipshod urban planning and failure by local and state governments to put in place an efficient waste management system.
## Civic bodies ignored dog rules
Few civic bodies formed implementation committees as specified in rule four, or followed prescription for culling dogs in rules five and ten. No stakeholders presented views before the Animal Welfare Board of India.
## Street dogs control rodent population
With solid waste piling up from poor waste clearance, street dogs act as scavenging agency and check rodent population growth. Mass culling of street dogs would cause a natural increase in rodent population.
## Culling alone will not solve it
Kerala has not addressed rising street dog population as a composite developmental challenge requiring multi-dimensional approach. Culling may become necessary, but culling by itself would not solve the problem.
## Fix waste, then neuter dogs
Local governments must tackle the root cause: uncontrolled urban waste accumulation in public spaces. State authorities should simultaneously neuter the dog population so their presence does not create public panic.
## Key takeaway

Kerala's push for mass dog culling ignores the root cause: poor waste management and urban planning that attract street dogs to cities.