Thiruvananthapuram Corporation’s dog shelters face opposition from nearby panchayats

Stray dogs roam freely in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation area.

The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation’s plan to shift captured stray dogs from the city to shelters outside the city limits has not gone down well as another panchayat adjoining the capital is against the establishment of dog shelters in its locality.

In early February, the Karumkulam grama panchayat opposed a dog shelter in its area, calling it illegal because it was being run without permission from the panchayat. Now the Kuttichal panchayat has opposed yet another private dog shelter housing around 200 corporation dogs. The local authority issued a stop sign. The Thiruvananthapuram branch of People For Animals reports alleged mistreatment of stray dogs at the facility.

Chairman of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) parliamentary party in the corporation council SP Deepak. who visited the shelter in Kuttichal said, “It was neither designed as a standard dog shelter nor does it function as one, rather it was a poultry house. The person running the facility only has a breeder’s license and has not obtained permission from the panchayat. The living conditions there are atrocious. Around 200 dogs are kept in the premises.” I saw that the dead body of the dog was also not removed.

The LDF claims that the highly secretive manner in which the Animal Birth Control (ABC) program is run, without following any guidelines, is suspect. Although opposition councilors raised the issue several times during council meetings, the mayor consistently avoided giving a clear answer, Mr. Deepak said.

According to the RTI reply, over 1,300 dogs were seized by the corporation in the three months from May. However, only 301 dogs are currently registered in the two ABC centers and the shelter in Kuttichal. The condition of the remaining 1,000 or so dogs remains unclear, says Mr Deepak.

Karumkulam grama panchayat president Pushpam Vincent said those running the dog shelter promised in February to shift the facility within six months, but no action has been taken so far.

Meanwhile, Corporation Veterinarian Sreerag Jayan said that though the panchayats have opposed the dog shelters, no decision has been taken on their future yet. “We cannot release dogs that are captured back into public spaces, near hospitals, schools or bus stations, as this may be in contempt of Supreme Court orders. The society carries out checks every week and provides food. Some of the dogs in the shelters are obviously weak because they are sick dogs captured from the streets,” he said.

Published – 21 Oct 2026 22:48 IST