Tamil Nadu has appointed 76 animal welfare officers to spearhead a large-scale stray dog sterilisation and vaccination campaign.
CHENNAI
In a major step toward controlling the stray dog population and preventing rabies outbreaks, the Tamil Nadu Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services has announced the appointment of 76 district-level animal welfare officers across the state. The initiative forms part of a comprehensive sterilisation and immunisation drive to be implemented in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Animal Welfare Board (TNAWB).
The programme aims to strengthen animal birth control (ABC) measures and expand the state’s anti-rabies vaccination coverage. It comes in response to increasing public concern over stray dog attacks and the growing risk of zoonotic diseases.
According to an official order, the newly appointed team will include 38 district-level animal welfare officers and 38 veterinary surgeons skilled in ABC surgeries. The appointments will be made on a one-year contractual basis, with scope for extension depending on performance. The recruitment process is expected to conclude by the first week of December.
The officers’ responsibilities will include monitoring the humane conduct of traditional events like jallikattu, addressing cases of animal cruelty, and leading awareness campaigns on responsible pet ownership, sterilisation, and rabies prevention.
To support the mission, the department has proposed 38 new ABC centres with shelter facilities for up to 100 dogs each, along with 100 additional centres dedicated solely to sterilisation and vaccination.
In a technological push, the TNAWB will procure 2.4 lakh RFID (radio frequency identification) tags to microchip sterilised and vaccinated dogs. This will help local authorities monitor coverage, ensure accountability, and prevent duplication. The veterinary surgeons will handle ABC surgeries, provide post-operative care, and oversee vaccination efforts.
