MAPUSA
Amid mounting public concern and sharp observations by the Supreme Court over rising dog-bite incidents, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Minister Nilkant Halarnkar said the responsibility for setting up shelters and relocating stray dogs in Goa rests with municipal bodies and village panchayats, not his department.
Clarifying the State government’s role amid rising concern over stray dog attacks, Halarnkar said the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) and the Directorate of Panchayats are the competent authorities to set up dog shelters and ensure the relocation of stray animals after sterilisation and vaccination.
“The Animal Husbandry department functions only as a facilitator for implementing the Goa Small Animal Rescue Management Scheme through local bodies. We provide Grant-in-Aid, but the operational responsibility lies with the municipal councils and village panchayats,” the minister said.
He informed that the department extends financial assistance under the scheme to several non-governmental organisations, including People for Animals, Noah’s Animal Care Shelter, Panjim Animal Welfare Society, Goa Animal Welfare Trust and South Goa Animal Welfare Trust, for carrying out sterilisation and animal welfare activities.
According to the minister, during 2025, grants were released for the sterilisation of 1,000 community dogs each from the coastal belts of North and South Goa and surrounding areas to control the growing stray dog population on beaches.
The estimated stray dog population in the State currently stands at around 50,000.
Data shared by the department shows that NGOs sterilised 10,850 stray dogs in 2022–23, 12,730 in 2023–24, and 12,089 in 2024–25.
Halarnkar said awareness signages have been installed in beach areas and that lifeguards and hotel staff are being trained by Mission Rabies on how to safely interact with community dogs.
Dogs displaying aggressive behaviour are kept under observation at animal rescue centres and appropriate action is taken based on their behaviour.
He further stated that a policy for street and pet dog caregiving, framed in 2022 under the directives of the Bombay High Court at Goa, was revised in 2023 following a spate of dog-bite incidents to make it more effective. The revised guidelines are currently in force.
The minister’s remarks come against the backdrop of strong observations by the Supreme Court, which recently expressed serious concern over the increasing number of dog-bite incidents across the country and the failure of authorities to manage stray dog populations effectively.
The apex court has initiated suo motu proceedings to evolve a national framework for stray dog management, underlining that public safety cannot be compromised.
