For the last few months, Kerala has been in the throes of a divisive debate on how to curb its growing population of stray dogs. On one side are animal lovers who advocate humane measures like sterilisation. And on the other stand those who believe a mass cull is the only solution.

In July, the state government, playing a partial arbiter, permitted local bodies to put “aggressive dogs” to sleep to reduce the perceived epidemic of stray dog bites. While that decision somewhat assuaged the panic among the public, it didn’t end the debate. After new cases of dog bites emerged in the state, there are individual efforts to convince the central government that the southern state is suffering from “a stray dog menace”.

Taking the campaign to Delhi

An artist from the southern state is planning to parade strays in front of the residence of Union Minister Maneka Gandhi in the last week of September, while a non-profit is working to send a petition signed by one million children to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Artist Thrissur Nazeer is travelling to Delhi with 50 dogs in a 28-wheeler truck to march them before the 14, Ashoka Road residence of Gandhi, an animal rights activist who has opposed the culling of canines by local bodies in Kerala.

“I am told that the Union Minister is preventing panchayats and municipalities from taking action against the stray dog menace,” said Nazeer, who achieved fame by creating Guinness records for non-stop mouth organ playing and mimicry. “I humbly pray to her not to come in the way of the local bodies considering the plight of hundreds of poor children bitten by stray dogs. It is the duty of the government to save the lives of the people.”

Meanwhile, Janaseva Sisubhavan, an NGO working among destitute children in Aluva, has begun gathering signatures of schoolchildren for a petition to send to Modi to remove stray dogs from public spaces. Its chairman Jose Maveli said that over 30,000 students put their names to the petition on the drive’s first day, giving him confidence that he can reach the target of one million signatures soon.

Maveli said he was moved to act after an attack on a three-year-old child by a stray at Ambalathara in Ernakulam district in the first week of September. The child, who was playing in the verandah of his house, was “pulled down to the courtyard” by the dog and bitten on his eyes, lips and back. Though doctors at the Angamaly Little Flower Hospital found his eyelids damaged, they could not operate on him immediately since he first had to be administered anti-rabies shots. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy visited the child at the hospital and agreed to bear the treatment expense.

Countrywide outrage

The episode, followed by a dozen more stray dog attacks in different parts of the state, stirred panic again among the public and once again pitted animal lovers against those favouring a cull of strays. It was deja vu all over again.

In June-July, the state was gripped by anger and fear as its growing stray dog population raised hackles. Responding to the public cries, Chief Minister Chandy summoned an all-party meeting and permitted culling of “aggressive dogs”.

The resultant outrage of animal lovers crescendoed in August when the Kannur district enforced the state decision by putting down 40 strays with potassium cyanide injections. Animal lovers launched a “Worldwide Boycott Kerala Movement 2015” on social media platforms and to oppose them rival groups started an online petition called “Stop the hate campaign against Kerala” on Change.org.

According to the 19th Livestock Census, there are 7.18 lakh male dogs and 2.05 lakh female dogs in Kerala. Of these, 2.68 lakh are strays. Experts believe the stray dog population would double every year, reaching more than 1 million by 2017, if not controlled. Animal lovers also want the population tackled but in accordance with the laws – that is, with birth control measures. However, officials claim they don’t have the infrastructure to follow the law.

Dr TP Sethumadhavan, director of entrepreneurship, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Science University, said it was difficult to control the dog population with the infrastructure the Animal Husbandry Department has. “The department has been able to sterilise less than 10,000 dogs a year,” he said. “This is less than 2% of the dog population. If the department moves at this pace, it will take at least 25 years to make a marked difference in the population.”

Calling for NGOs' help

A panicked people may not wait that long. As per figures furnished in the state assembly by Health Minister VS Sivakumar, 1.19 lakh cases of dog bites were reported in Kerala in the calendar year 2014. And in the past three years, 26 people died of rabies. Each incident of stray bite stokes anger among the people, who have already started attacking animal lovers opposing culling of dogs. Recently, an angry mob tried to manhandle activists who were resisting the killing of 40 stray dogs in Puzhathi village in Kannur.

“We don’t want the dogs to be killed,” said Jose Maveli. “But people should be able to walk the streets without fear of being attacked by stray dogs. It is not possible now with packs of dogs chasing people, bikes and cars.”

Minister for Social Welfare and Panchayats Dr MK Muneer said the government was aware of the feelings of the people and was trying to address the issue by vaccinating and sterilising stray dogs. He said the government will open 50 animal birth control centres across the state and has sought the help of NGOs in every district to join the drive.