Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023

• 21 Apr 2023

For Prelims: Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act, 1960, Animal Welfare Board of India, Rabies, National Centre for Disease Control , One Health .

For Mains: Status of Rabies India, Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023.

Why in News?

Recently, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying has issued the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023. These Rules supersede the Animal Birth Control (Dog) Rules, 2001, and are issued under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act, 1960.

What are the Major Points Related to Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023?

• Background:
  • India recorded a whopping 160 million cases of street/stray dog bites between 2019 and 2022, according to data submitted in Parliament till November 2022.
  • This has also led to an increase in revenge crime and atrocities against dogs, feeders of dogs and caregivers as well as conflicts among urban residents.
• Provisions:
  • The Rules have been formulated in accordance with the guidelines provided by the Hon'ble Supreme Court related to Animal Welfare Board of India and People for Elimination of Stray Troubles.
    • The Supreme Court has specifically mentioned in various orders that relocation of dogs cannot be permitted.
  • The Rules aim to provide guidelines for the sterilisation and immunisation of stray dogs through Animal Birth Control (ABC) programmes.
    • The responsibility of carrying out ABC programmes lies with the respective local bodies, municipalities, municipal corporations, and panchayats.
    • The Municipal Corporations are required to implement the ABC and Anti Rabies Program jointly.
  • It provides guidelines on how to deal with human and stray dog conflicts without relocating the dogs in an area.
  • It also emphasises addressing the cruelty involved in carrying out ABC programmes, ensuring animal welfare.

Rabies

• About:
  • Rabies is a vaccine-preventable, zoonotic, viral disease affecting the central nervous system.
    • It is present on all continents except Antarctica, with over 95% of human deaths occurring in Asia and Africa.
• Cause:
  • It is caused by a Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) virus that is present in the saliva of a rabid animal (dog, cat, monkey, etc).
  • It is invariably transmitted following a bite of an infected animal that leads to deposition of the saliva and the virus in the wound.
    • According to WHO, Dogs are the main source of human rabies deaths, contributing up to 99% of all rabies transmissions to humans.
• Status in India:
  • India is endemic for rabies, and accounts for 36% of the world’s rabies deaths.
  • According to WHO, about 30-60% of reported rabies cases and deaths in India occur in children under the age of 15 years as bites that occur in children often go unrecognised and unreported.
• Treatment:
  • Rabies can be prevented by vaccinating pets, and seeking medical care after potential exposures before symptoms start.
• Initiatives Related to Rabies Control:
  • Global:
    • United Against Rabies Forum: The UAR Forum brings together global experts from various organisations, ministries and countries so that they can work towards specific objectives and activities to facilitate efforts towards achieving Zero dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030.
  • Indian:
    • National Action Plan for Dog Mediated Rabies Elimination by 2030 (NAPRE): The NAPRE was drafted by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in association with the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying.
    • Its approach for elimination of rabies is based on recommendations of several international agencies like WHO and the Global Alliance of Rabies Control (GARC).

Conclusion

India is looking forward to creating a One Health network that will not only serve rabies but will also strengthen surveillance and health systems for multiple health risks at the human-animal-environment interface through better coordination and communication between the animal- and human health and other relevant sectors.

Source: PIB