Goa has swung into action with directives on stray dogs and cattle following the Supreme Court’s directive last week. The Directorate of Education has asked all educational institutions to immediately secure their campuses and prevent the entry of stray dogs. An order issued on Wednesday has directed institutions to secure their premises by adequate fencing, boundary walls, gates, and other necessary measures to prevent the ingress of stray dogs. Institutions have been given eight weeks to comply, with the first compliance report due by November 17. There have been other measures, such as the appointment of nodal officers and quarterly inspections, in addition to awareness campaigns.
On Tuesday, Minister for Animal Husbandry, Nilkanth Halarnkar, confirmed that a three-member task force has been formed to prepare and implement a coordinated action plan in consultation with local civic bodies. All government institutions, including schools, hospitals, bus stands, and railway stations, have been directed to fence their premises properly to prevent stray dog entry.
The top court, last week, taking note of the “alarming rise” in dog bite incidents within public areas like educational institutions, hospitals, and railway stations across the nation, directed the forthwith relocation of stray canines to designated shelters after due sterilisation and vaccination. The court also stated that the stray dogs so picked up shall not be released back in the place they were picked up from. The bench also directed the authorities to ensure the removal of all cattle and other stray animals from state highways, national highways, and expressways. “The situation calls for immediate judicial intervention to safeguard the fundamental right to life and safety of citizens, especially children, patients, and sportspersons, under Article 21 of the Constitution of India,” the bench said.
While orders and directives have been issued, implementation could be challenging in an area where authorities have been claiming helplessness for decades in Goa. Asking all institutes to fence their premises is easier said than done, because fencing requires huge resources, given the fact that campuses are massive in some cases. Is the department paying for fencing? Moreover, institutions are not responsible for the stray menace, and holding them accountable and asking for the securing of premises sounds unreasonable.
Although the Minister for Animal Husbandry in Goa sounds confident, there appears to be a monumental challenge here too, especially in view of the shortcomings — logistical, infrastructural, besides socio-cultural challenges. Goa may have made strides in sterilisation programmes, but has failed in large-scale animal welfare programmes, especially in urban areas.
The state does not have facilities to house stray dogs or adequate “gaushalas” for stray cattle, and which is why cattle are often seen squatting on highways and other district roads, with authorities expressing helplessness despite the several accidents. Eleven cattle were killed on the National Highway 66 in Canacona on September 20, after they were hit by speeding trucks. Dog shelters have been discussed very often, but what about feeding? The 21st Livestock Census, conducted between November 2024 and April 2025, officially recorded more than 56,000 stray dogs in Goa. And it is rising at an exponential rate. Who will take responsibility for feeding these dogs?
The primary requirement is setting up the infrastructure. The government must speed up the process of setting up dog shelters at the proposed locations at Sonsodo, Mapusa, and Mulgao. Next, it has to plan the supply of food and medical facilities. The State needs more “gaushalas” to house stray cattle. Unless the basic infrastructure is put in place, the “stray” issue will be tough to handle.
Another challenge is manpower and expertise in handling strays. It requires trained personnel capable of conducting sterilisations, vaccinations, and rescue operations. The state is currently working with limited staff, in some cases, untrained personnel, which makes it extremely difficult to tackle the issue. Without adequate resources, even well-intentioned policies risk falling short of their objectives.
Goa has a job at hand after the court’s order. The path forward requires a multi-pronged approach of investing in infrastructure, capacity building, community participation, and effective enforcement of regulations. Collaborations between government agencies, NGOs, and local communities can help develop humane, community-based solutions tailored to Goa’s needs.
