The green area of the museum in the capital has been a favorite place for the city’s residents, especially walkers and other fitness enthusiasts, for decades.
Many of them spent their childhood, youth and old age walking around the grounds, listening to the radio in the iconic grandstand or relaxing under the green canopy whenever they could. There is hardly a day when the museum is not full of life. But last week, the relative quiet of this green lung was shattered after a morning walker was bitten by a stray dog. The dog is said to have bitten other stray dogs. Tests later revealed the animal was rabid.
The incident has raised considerable concern for the safety of people on and around the pedestrian circuit.
Ashok Unnikrishnan, a regular visitor to the museum premises for the past 10 years, says that usually five or six stray dogs can be seen there. Even the security staff have kind of adopted the strays. So far, though, dogs haven’t been a problem.
After last week’s incident, Mr. Unnikrishnan feels that it is not right to allow dogs in the museum premises as it is visited by the public, including pedestrians. “School students also visit the museum and zoo almost daily for picnics and tours. If people hear about such incidents, they will be afraid to come here. This will affect the institution’s income.”
Feasibility of sheds
Referring to the Supreme Court directive to vaccinate, sterilize and relocate stray dogs to shelters instead of releasing them in a trapping area, Mr. Unnikrishnan questions whether shelters are feasible in a densely populated state like Kerala. Again, dogs placed in shelters cannot just be dumped there; they will need to be fed and cared for, he emphasizes.
The search for stray dogs from the museum grounds was apparently not entirely successful. Mr. Unnikrishnan says he has seen a few stray dogs since the incident, most recently on Sunday.
Avoid capture
Corporation veterinary surgeon Sreerag Jayan says at least some dogs manage to escape capture when the ABC team goes to surround them. Some dogs are never caught once in their life.
Even if the dog is removed from the area, other dogs will rehome it, society officials say.
Apart from full-fledged infrastructure, proper annual vaccination of dogs, consistent ABC and resources and manpower for the same, promotion of dog adoption and emergency facilities for dog bites need to be put in place. “At least 70% of the dogs in the area should be sterilized if the stray dog population is to be controlled,” says Dr. Jayan.
He points out that in many other cities sidewalk dwellers and dogs coexist. However, attitudes towards dogs are somewhat different here, people are suspicious of animals.
Implementation of ABC
Arun Raj, secretary of the Street Dog Watch Association, says the city corporation’s failure to effectively implement the ABC program has led to the proliferation of dogs.
The authorities are not accommodating even to registered organizations operating in the ABC area. Catching random males and sterilizing them doesn’t help unless female dogs are also caught.
The civic body’s contention that it is difficult to find land for setting up ABC centers or shelters does not stand, said Mr. Arun Raj.
Published – 17 Nov 2025 21:04 IST
