Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

City Corporation to promote rabbit farming

Special Correspondent

Selected households to be provided technical assistance

MAN'S BEST FRIEND: Animal Husbandry Minister C. Divakaran and Mayor C. Jayan Babu at a pet show organised by the City Corporation on Monday. — Photo: C. Ratheesh Kumar

Thiruvananthapuram: Mayor C. Jayan Babu announced here on Monday that the Corporation was working on a project to promote the rearing of rabbits as an income-generating activity.

Presiding over the inaugural function of a seminar on rabies control, he said selected households in the city would be provided technical assistance to take up rabbit farming to supplement their income.

"The proposed project would be designed on the lines of a similar scheme that is being successfully implemented in Alappuzha. We hope to get assistance from the Animal Husbandry Department also," he said.

The Mayor said licensing and vaccination of pet dogs in the city would be made mandatory. "We have come across several incidents of owners abandoning their pets. These abandoned animals and unlicensed pets seized from houses will be taken care of at the animal rescue facility run by the Corporation," he said.

Mr. Babu said the Corporation would use humane methods to control the stray dog menace. "The strategy is to sterilise animals caught from the streets and use painless methods to dispose of the rabid animals and those that pose a threat to humans."

He added that several panchayats had approached the Corporation requesting the services of its animal volunteer corps to control the stray dog population.

Inaugurating the seminar, Minister for Animal Husbandry C. Divakaran said the Government would extend all possible assistance to the Corporation for its rabies control programme. He said the Government had constituted a veterinary advisory council with representatives from the Corporation and the Animal Welfare Board.

The Minister said the department had adopted a three-pronged strategy focussing on stray dog control, service for pet owners and promotion of income-generating activities through rearing of commercially important animals.

Animal Welfare Board member S.K. Mittal said the decks had been cleared for a tripartite agreement involving the board, Corporation and the State Animal Husbandry Department for control of stray dogs.

He stressed the need to constitute a Corporation-level monitoring committee for the programme.

Deputy Mayor V.Jayaprakash, standing committee chairmen, UDF council party leader Johnson Joseph and Corporation secretary Johnson K.George were present.

Vaccination and health check-up facilities for pet dogs were organised as part of the event. A pet show conducted at the venue proved to be a big draw. Rare dog breeds like Napoleon Mastiff, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Australian Silky Terrier and Weimaraner were exhibited along with more common species like the Labrador, Golden Retriever, pug, Dalmatian and Rottweiler. The show proved that the love for animals extends beyond the canine species. Animal lovers brought along a variety of pets including civet cats, rabbits, etc.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Abhaya case: non-bailable arrest warrants issued
City Corporation to promote rabbit farming
Stress on vector control
City schools fare well in CBSE examination
Temple entry law after consensus
Girls corner most B.Sc. ranks
Loan at 4% interest for paddy mooted
Fishermen rescued
Registration for pre-counselling guidance
Exhibition
Girls sweep B.Sc. ranks
TRAC accuses KSEB of fleecing consumers
Around The City
In Thiruvananthapuram Today

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu