The New Indian Express ·
Curious case of city strays: Thiruvananthapuram Corporation’s sheltering program lands in trouble
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The corporation’s stray dog catching and sheltering programme has run into legal trouble, with the People for Animals (PFA) outfit challenging the civic body’s alleged illegal removal of dogs from public spaces and their confinement in undisclosed shelters.
According to an RTI reply, the civic body has caught around 1,360 dogs between December 2025 and July 30, 2026. Though the corporation claims that hundreds of the dogs were released, PFA alleges that many of them did not return to their original locations.
PFA member Sreedevi S Kartha said that the organisation has filed a case against the corporation alleging that dogs were being caught and removed without having a proper sheltering facility capable of accommodating them.
The petition also questions the corporation’s practice of catching dogs from public places. “The Supreme Court order does not authorise indiscriminate removal of dogs from public spaces and the directions were specifically related to catching dogs from public institutions and crowded places. We have a lot of evidence to support this,” she said.
The organisation has also obtained details of the corporation’s dog-catching operations through an RTI query. As per the register, of the total 1,360 dogs caught during the period, around 450 to 500 dogs were released and around 360 dogs were recorded to be kept in shelters.
“The programme is suspicious and the corporation’s claim that hundreds of dogs were released is not true. In several areas where dogs had been picked up, residents and animal feeders found that animals did not return even though the official records described them as released,” said Sreedevi.
One such incident allegedly occurred at Shankhumukham during Karkidaka vavubali, when around 15 community dogs were caught and removed from the area.
According to feeders the dogs had lived alongside local residents, fishermen at Shankumukham for eight to 10 years.
“None of those dogs were aggressive or harmful to anyone. They were gentle animals even if someone struck them, they would just lie there quietly. My mother used to feed these dogs for years, and I have continued with the feeding for the last six years. Not a single dog that was captured has been returned to the beach, including four or five young pups under a year old.” said S Vijayakumari, a dog feeder.
Vijayakumari reportedly went to Pettah ABC centre four days after the animals were taken and even offered to adopt the dogs and take them back, but the dogs were not there.
The PFA has also questioned the corporation’s claims regarding another alleged shelter facility near Kattakkada. Members of the PFA visited the location to check the well-being of the sheltered dogs and found only around 10 dogs.
“We found only a chicken farm there. There were only around 10 dogs. We lodged a complaint with the police and with their help we inspected the chicken farm but found only a few dogs,” said Sreedevi.
Responding to the allegations, Mayor V V Rajesh dismissed the petition and questioned the authority of private groups to demand explanations from the civic body. “We are accountable only to the court, the state government, and the public. If anyone brings a clear directive or order from the court or the government, we are fully ready to abide by it and take necessary action,” said the mayor.