Taking note of dog bites and threat of rabies, measures like micro chipping of dog population, dog census and mandatory registration of pet shops in the national Capital are some of the steps will be undertaken by Delhi Government, Development Minister Kapil Mishra said on Wednesday.
Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra has announced that around 10 lakh stray dogs will be microchipped in the city over the next two years.
A meeting of the Animal Welfare Board was held at the Delhi Secretariat, where many important decisions were taken. He announced these measures after chairing a meeting of the Delhi Animal Welfare Board.
Development Commissioner Shurbir Singh, along with senior officials from the Animal Husbandry Department, NDMC, MCD and other concerned departments, were present. The objective of the meeting was to deliberate on various issues related to animal welfare and to prepare a concrete action plan for Delhi.
Addressing the meeting, Mishra said “During the previous Government’s tenure, the Animal Welfare Board did not meet for several years. Today, this meeting has been convened to address all pending issues of the Board. All problems related to animals in Delhi will be resolved at the earliest.
Adequate funds are being provided to the Board so that work for animal welfare can move forward rapidly. Animal Welfare Committees will be formed at the district level. A detailed State Action Plan on rabies control will be prepared and presented before World Rabies Day.”
He further said “The Delhi Government will soon make the process of registering pet shops mandatory, and a separate monitoring committee is being set up for this. All shops will be required to register as per rules, and strict monitoring will be ensured.”
Mishra also stated “If financial assistance is required at any level, the Delhi Government will provide it on priority. Our aim is to ensure that Delhi sets an example for the entire country in the field of animal welfare.”
He instructed officials “A detailed advisory should be prepared soon, clearly outlining guidelines on pet shop registration, rabies control, dog microchipping, prevention of dog bites, and the role of monitoring committees. In addition, social media should be used more actively to enhance awareness and participation.”
The session began with a discussion on the National Rabies Control Programme. With World Rabies Day approaching, it was decided that comprehensive measures would be undertaken in Delhi for rabies control.
These include microchipping of dogs, prevention of dog bite incidents, and digitization of the vaccination process.
Special emphasis was placed on “Strengthening rabies control and dog population management in Delhi through microchipping.” Mishra directed that a dog census and monitoring system be implemented at the earliest to ensure accurate data and stronger future planning.
Another important agenda of the meeting related to administrative and financial matters. A proposal was put forward to transfer funds from the Delhi Advisory Board for Animal Welfare to the Delhi Animal Welfare Board. It was also agreed to set up a Standing Committee and other sub-committees, recruit new staff, and approve expenditure for the smooth functioning of the Board’s initiatives.
To promote animal welfare, it was decided to launch awareness programmes at the school level in collaboration with the Education Department. Additionally, Board members will be allowed to participate in national and international conferences and training programmes. It was also resolved that an Animal Market Monitoring Committee will soon be formed in Delhi to oversee activities in animal markets.
