Kozhikode Corpn.’s search for land for stray dog shelters gets SHRC backing

The Kerala State Human Rights Commission’s (SHRC) direction to Chief Secretary Bishwanath Sinha to make unused land under the control of the Revenue and Public Works departments available to local self-government institutions for setting up stray dog shelters has come as a welcome move at a time when the Kozhikode Corporation is struggling to identify suitable land to establish and operate such facilities.

Considering a petition filed by Kattil Balachandran, a resident of Thiruvannur Nada, seeking effective control of stray dogs in Kozhikode district, SHRC judicial member K. Baijunath also issued a directive to the Additional Chief Secretary and the Principal Director of the Local Self-Government department to initiate policy and administrative measures to ensure adequate infrastructure and funding for the effective management of the stray dog issue.

The Kozhikode Corporation authorities informed the Commission that a survey conducted in February 2026 recorded 28,510 stray dogs within the civic body limits. The Corporation informed the Commission that it had been unable to establish shelters to shift aggressive stray dogs due to a lack of land. It had written to the PWD and the District Collector seeking vacant land in the NGO Quarters area for setting up a shelter but had received no response, officials said.

The Commission observed that the Animal Birth Control programme and anti-rabies vaccination alone could not provide a permanent solution. It said local bodies should establish well-equipped shelters with the support of animal welfare groups and ensure a dedicated funding mechanism, including examining the feasibility of using Plan funds and introducing a special cess for stray dog management.

The Corporation recently decided to invite expressions of interest from individuals and NGOs willing to establish and operate shelters for street dogs as part of its efforts to address the stray dog issue within the city limits. However, animal welfare organisations cautioned that identifying suitable land for the shelters would be the biggest challenge.

The civic body plans to implement the project on a pilot basis by establishing several small shelters at different locations, each capable of accommodating at least 10 street dogs. Individuals and organisations from outside the Corporation limits are also eligible to submit proposals.