The Pollachi municipality’s animal birth control (ABC) centre is facing questions over hygiene, post-operative care and veterinary supervision after animal welfare activists raised concerns about conditions at the facility and the death of a stray dog from canine distemper.
The concerns followed the circulation of a video on social media that purportedly shows unhygienic cages and inadequate care for dogs that had undergone sterilisation procedures. The footage has prompted questions about how the centre is monitored and managed, according to a report by the Times of India.
Activists have demanded a thorough inquiry into the incident and called for improved standards of care, cleanliness and veterinary supervision at the municipal facility. Their concerns relate to both the condition of the kennels and the care provided to dogs during the post-operative period.
A stray dog kept at the centre with other stray animals recently died of canine distemper, the report said. The incident has added to concerns about whether animals housed at the facility are being adequately separated, monitored and treated when they show signs of illness. The supplied report does not state whether the municipality has confirmed the cause of death or announced an inquiry.
K P Balakrishnan, an independent animal activist, said a stray dog that had recently undergone sterilisation had severe wounds on its private parts and ears. He also alleged that repeated complaints about the management had not resulted in action to improve the facility or its maintenance.
“Despite repeated complaints about the management, no action has been taken to improve the facility or the maintenance of the stray animals,” Balakrishnan said, alleging that dogs were being kept in uncleaned kennels containing urine and faeces. He further alleged that animals were fed in the same kennel.
The allegations place the focus on the operational responsibilities attached to an ABC centre, where municipal systems must manage animal capture, sterilisation, recovery and release. In this case, activists are specifically seeking scrutiny of cleanliness, kennel conditions and supervision after surgery. The report does not provide the number of dogs housed at the centre, the number of procedures carried out or details of the contractor or veterinary team responsible for operations.
Balakrishnan also questioned the financial arrangements for sterilisation. He said the central government had fixed a maximum charge of Rs 1,650 for each stray dog sterilisation and asked how the money was being used. The report does not establish whether this amount was paid for the procedure at the Pollachi centre, identify the recipient of any payment or record a response from the municipality.
The immediate demand from activists is for an inquiry into the death and the reported conditions at the centre, along with improvements in hygiene, animal care and veterinary oversight. No municipal response or official timeline for such an inquiry was included in the supplied report.
