Two Meghalaya districts to get animal birth control committees

Meghalaya districts that currently lack Animal Birth Control (ABC) committees will soon have them, following a directive from the Meghalaya High Court to the state government to constitute such committees.

The court was informed that the government had constituted ABC committees in most districts, except South Garo Hills and West Jaintia Hills.

The directive came during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Kaustav Paul, concerning the control and management of stray dogs in the state.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice I P Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh, while passing the order on Tuesday, said, “We direct listing of this public interest litigation once again on August 6, 2025, to receive further action taken report, including constitution of committees for the said two districts (South Garo Hills and West Jaintia Hills)".

The objective of setting up these committees is to implement the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001, which aim to control the stray dog population through humane measures such as capturing, treating, vaccinating, sterilising, and rehabilitating the animals in dog centres.