Kodaikanal shows the way in containing the stray dog menace

As per the 2001 census, Kodaikanal has a population of about 36,500 and there are 2,584 dogs that include owned dogs. 

Being a tourist centre, for long Kodaikanal had been plagued by free-roaming dogs.

Janani Krishnamurthy, co-founder of Kodaikanal Society for Protection and Care for Animals (KSPCA), says that one cannot keep track of tourists who come up the hills and feed these animals. Many see this as a photo-op and are unmindful of the consequences of feeding the dogs. Similarly, poor awareness among the visiting tourists leads to piling up of garbage, which in turn becomes the foraging ground for these dogs. “Earlier, a free-roaming dog may give birth to a litter of four to five puppies. Due to a low survival rate only one or two may reach adulthood. But now with free availability of food waste found in the overflowing garbage and with umpteen feeders providing eatables, dogs do not have to forage in far off places, thus most of them give birth to sometimes even ten puppies with survival rate on the higher side,” Janani says.

This is where micro management comes into play if effective steps need to be taken to control stray dog menace. In Kodaikanal municipal limits KSPCA, an NGO, from 2017 has been focusing on Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme and Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV) programme. This is being done along with the support given by the Kodaikanal municipality.

Two puppies waiting to be adopted and two dogs in their forever home with Janani Krishnamurthy, co-founder of KSPCA, and her team in Kodaikanal.
| Photo Credit:
KARTHIKEYAN G

“We realised very soon that along with the ABC programme we need to sensitise the local population. Thus there has been a constant and continuous programme where we create awareness programmes among various stakeholders on this issue,” she adds. Roopa, who is part of the KSPCA, is in charge of a sustained campaign that also includes follow up needed for those who suffer dog bites. As soon as a dog bite incident is reported to KSPCA from either the Government Hospital, Roopa and other volunteers see to it that the person concerned takes the prescribed vaccine regime. Many times the person due to the side-effect of immune globulin may suffer fatigue and skip the injections. The role that these volunteers play is very important as in certain cases even see that transportation is arranged for the person to get his vaccine shot on the said date.

Awareness is conducted not only for the pet parents but also for the feeders. “We noticed a resident during her daily walk around the lake feeding dogs. We caught up with her and advised her to do it at a feeding point that was in a secluded place and which would not hinder the public near the lake. Now, she and many others reach the point and feed the dogs,” says Janani.

“This has been extremely helpful during our yearly vaccination drive. We are able to capture the dogs who frequent that point at one go. Similarly, dogs are familiar with the feeders and this gives easy access and also helps the dog catchers from the municipality to pick them up for the ABC programme,” says Roopa.

Residents of Kodaikanal have had a symbiotic relationship with dogs and it has been favourable too. In the villages there are numerous community owned dogs, says Janani. These dogs may not have a collar but can be seen walking along with the farmer as he goes to work in farms that are in remote areas. There, these dogs are at guard alerting him of the presence of any wild animals. At the end of the day, they accompany the farmer back home. The houses are small with no space to accommodate the dogs within. So these dogs usually sleep on the verandahs. “In such a situation the Supreme Court’s order to confine the dogs is impossible,” she points out.  

Now with education, these villagers are bringing the dogs to the KSPCA centre to be neutered and many of them are even willing to adopt puppies. Kodaikanal also has about five families who have opened their houses as foster homes where these puppies are kept before they find their forever homes.

“Kodaikanal has 24 wards and we are able to stretch our resources to see that the ABC programme touches all the dogs. For this we have an App, with a GPS location that numerates, documents and identifies dogs ward wise. This helps us in keeping track of the dogs for ARV purposes too. It is imperative for a log to be maintained if the programme has to be successful,” she added. This continuous monitoring has yielded results, with KSPCA seeing about 25 dogs in a month coming to the centre  to be neutered from about 500 dogs in 2017.

But in cities, it is a different ball game altogether. There are numerous stakeholders, numerous NGOs and very limited resources with the administration. There is no scientific enumeration of the dogs and awareness programmes that touch topics like responsible pet ownership, responsible feeding practices, how to identify a rabid dog, in case of bite the precautions to be taken before reaching the hospital are almost non existent, says, says M. Govindan, an advocate in Madurai. 

Devadhas from Kanniyakumari says, “yes stray dog menace in cities loom large due to problems like abandonment of dogs, piling up of garbage leading to more stray dogs in the vicinity.” But he adds that it is important to remember that those who talk about the issue are not dog haters and most of them own dogs. “What we want is that the administration should focus on containing the free-roaming dogs and create awareness on responsible dog parents. Many abandon their dogs when they shift residences or when these animals fall sick. Tagging and licence for dog owners should be made compulsory,” says Anjana of Madurai. 

A study ‘Owned-Dog Demographics, Ownership Dynamics, and Attitudes across Three States of India’ under the aegis of  Humane Society International, says that in India there is a, ‘significant overlap and fluidity between free-roaming and owned-dog populations’, this complicates population assessments. “Many free-roaming street dogs are privately or community owned, receiving care and support to various extents, highlighting the complex nature of dog ownership in India,” the report says. The study also says that dog bite records of government hospitals do not classify if the dog was owned or was stray. These loopholes and management practices make it difficult in tracking the owners or the dogs, especially in cities.

In a recent order, the State government has given an ultimatum for all dog breeders, pet shops and sellers to register with the State animal welfare board (AWB) by September 30. It is the implementation of these orders in letter and spirit that will create a safe environment for the people and also for the dogs.

K. Ragu, a veterinarian with the Madurai Corporation, says that work has begun and rabies camps are being conducted in the wards. But again the shortage of staffs be it to capture the dogs or creating awareness among the public is a huge problem being faced by the administration. 

“It is only now that the fight has begun and it is a long road ahead for all of us. Apart from committed NGOs, public participation and help from the government both financially and by giving manpower, can steps be taken for a sustained management of street dogs,” wraps up Janani.  

Published – August 31, 2025 05:41 pm IST