West Bengal government issues standard operating procedure for feeding stray dogs

West Bengal government issues SOP for feeding stray dogs, specifying designated areas and times to avoid littering and penalties.

The Department of Urban Development and Municipal Affairs of the Government of West Bengal has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on specific measures for feeding stray dogs, applicable to all municipal areas of the State.

According to this SOP, community dog feeders would have to limit their activities to designated feeding areas earmarked by local civic bodies, away from children’s play areas, and crowded places like walking tracks.

“Feeding of the community dogs has to be done only at ‘designated areas’ within a ‘specific time period’ in two slots that may be - once in the morning i.e. before 7 A.M. and once in the evening i.e. after 7 P.M. for a minimum of 2 hours each, as specified by the Municipal Corporation or Municipality or Notified Area Authority,” the SOP reads.

The government-issued memorandum also advises people not to feed dogs in a manner that would litter the feeding site and to clean up after they are done feeding stray animals.

Additionally, the SOP also specifies that feeding dogs outside of the designated feeding areas might attract punishment, for depositing or throwing any solid waste in contravention of extant laws. 

However, the SOP also stated that no one can prohibit or harass or resist any caregiver who is feeding community dogs following all specified conditions.

The SOP, issued by the West Bengal government on November 25, follows a Calcutta High Court order of November 6.