Residents of Kochi and visitors to the city are furious at the proliferation of stray dogs. A scene from Fort Kochi, where they are a threat to tourists.
| Photo Credit: H. VIBHU
The Kochi Corporation will sign the agreement for constructing shelters for stray dogs at Brahmapuram once the Kerala government revises rates for preparatory works such as ground levelling and fencing, estimated at ₹58 lakh.
In the first phase, the civic body plans to build shelters with a capacity to accommodate around 1,000 strays on one acre of land, adjacent to the Corporation’s Animal Birth Control (ABC) Centre at Brahmapuram, in compliance with the recent Supreme Court verdict. The larger plan envisages an even bigger facility spread across five acres.
Project cost
While the Corporation has allocated ₹1 crore for the facility in its Budget, the detailed project estimate is yet to be finalised. “We have invited designs for the shelters in line with the guidelines of the Animal Welfare Board of India. So far, we have received nine entries as part of the contest. The best design, based on architecture and cost-effectiveness, will be selected. The project cost will depend on the design chosen,” said Seena Gokulan, chairperson of the Corporation’s health standing committee.
Necessary changes have been made in the Brahmapuram master plan to earmark space for the proposed shelters. Even a limited facility to house 1,000 stray dogs entails considerable investment, including the appointment of nearly 30 staff members, including veterinarians. Considering the average lifespan of a dog, stray dogs may need to be sheltered for approximately 12 years.
On November 7, 2025, the Supreme Court directed all States and Union Territories to “forthwith” remove stray dogs from the premises of educational institutions, hospitals, sports complexes, bus stands and depots, and railway stations, and relocate them “to a designated shelter” after sterilisation and vaccination, in accordance with the ABC Rules, 2023, framed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. Expressing concern over the “disturbing increase” in dog-bite incidents across the country, the court ordered that stray canines picked up from such premises shall not be released back there. Previously, stray dogs were released back to the same areas after sterilisation and vaccination.
Published – June 23, 2026 04:33 pm IST
