Haryana's Stray Crisis: Chief Secy Orders Statewide Crackdown Amid Safety Fears

Chairing a high-level review meeting, he stressed that coordinated action, rapid compliance, and rigorous field monitoring are essential to meet the court-mandated timelines.

He urged departments to work with precision, compassion, and complete accountability to safeguard public safety while maintaining animal welfare standards.

Municipal bodies and rural local authorities have been instructed to operationalise large-capacity dog shelters equipped with CCTV surveillance, medical facilities, trained staff, and the ability to accommodate at least 5,000 dogs.

Issuing directions to all Deputy Commissioners of the state, the Chief Secretary reiterated that sterilisation, vaccination, tagging, and routine veterinary care must align fully with the Animal Birth Control Rules, and that adequate catching teams and digital record-keeping systems are mandatory.

He said every district and local body will set up 24x7 helplines to address complaints related to stray dogs, dog bites, rescue operations, and abandonment. Public awareness initiatives will also be undertaken to encourage responsible interaction with stray animals.

In addition, municipalities will demarcate dedicated feeding zones in every ward and collaborate with animal welfare organisations to ensure safe and hygienic feeding practices.

A major focus of the meeting was the removal of stray cattle from National Highways, State Highways, and Expressways. Departments, including NHAI, PWD (B&R), Transport, municipal bodies, and the Animal Husbandry Department, have been instructed to conduct continuous joint drives to identify vulnerable stretches, safely capture cattle, and transport them to registered gaushalas or cattle shelters equipped with veterinary care, food, and water.

A statewide mechanism will be finalised to clearly outline responsibilities for identifying, catching, transporting, treating, and housing cattle.

All authorities have been told to deploy round-the-clock highway patrol teams linked to police stations and district control rooms, with helpline numbers prominently displayed along highways for real-time reporting.

Further, Deputy Commissioners have been directed to expedite the identification of schools, hospitals, sports complexes, bus stands, depots, and railway stations, as required by the Supreme Court's directive, and to ensure that each premise is secured with fencing, functional gates, and necessary structural safeguards.

Commissioner & Secretary, Urban Local Bodies, Vikas Gupta, directed that nodal officers must be appointed in every institution. Hospitals have been told to maintain adequate stocks of anti-rabies vaccines and immunoglobulin, while schools will conduct awareness sessions on animal behaviour and first-aid.

Sports stadiums will see enhanced vigilance through dedicated personnel, and railway and transport facilities will strengthen waste-management systems to discourage animal habitation.

- ANI