Far from Delhi, Goa takes a cue from Supreme Court’s stray dog order

An order issued by the Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Government of Goa, on Tuesday stated that in view of the Supreme Court order dated August 11 and as per a note issued by the Animal Husbandry Minister, a task force is “hereby constituted to deal with the issue of stray dogs and their rehabilitation in shelter homes.”

“The task force shall prepare and execute an action plan for rehabilitation of the stray dogs in consultation with the concerned civic bodies,” the order states.

Nilkanth Halarnkar, Minister for Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, told The Indian Express, “We welcome the decision of the Supreme Court. There have been two-three cases of stray dog bites recently. In Ponda, a one-year-old was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs in April. It is a matter of concern. So, we have directed the task force to prepare an action plan for their rehabilitation. We will get some ideas. I will also consult with the chief minister and seek his guidance. We have to find a way forward, which is in the best interest of the citizens and the animals.”

In a recent meeting with the government, stakeholders from the tourism industry had flagged that the increasing number of stray dogs on beaches in Goa was posing a threat to the safety of tourists and locals. An official said that, as per a recent estimate, Goa has over 56,000-60,000 stray dogs.

According to data shared by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in Lok Sabha in April, the number of dog bite cases in Goa increased from 8,057 in 2022 to 11,904 in 2023. In 2024, the number of dog bite cases was 17,236.

The Supreme Court had on Monday noted that there was an “extremely grim” situation due to stray dog bites resulting in rabies, particularly among children. “If any individual or organisation comes in the way of picking up stray dogs or rounding them up, we will proceed to take strict action against any such resistance,” the Bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan had said.

The task force committee that Goa has formed will be chaired by Dr Nitin Naik, deputy director, Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Panaji. The other two members are Dr Atanazia Fernandes, assistant director, veterinary hospital, Sonsodo, and Dr Charlette Fernandes, assistant director, government poultry farm, Old Goa.