Kudumbashree to train women in dog catching

KOCHI

: The Kudumbashree Mission will soon launch a programme with the support of local administration department to train women to catch dogs.

The proposal for the training programme is awaiting administrative sanction and the pilot project will be implemented in Ernakulam.

The service of these women will be utilized in the animal birth control (ABC) programme being implemented by local bodies across the state. The pilot project will be launched in Kochi where 20 women will be trained in the first phase.

They will also be given a basic first aid and para-veterinary training so that they can assist in sterilization surgeries of stray dogs.

"In the wake of the stray dog menace that the state is now facing, a proposal has been put forward for the Kudumbashree women to undergo training and become dog catchers," said a senior official from the LSGD.

When contacted, sources from the Kudumbashree Ernakulam unit said they were in the process of finding the right candidates for the programme. "It is not an easy task to find women who are ready to become professional dog catchers. Moreover, it requires a higher level of physical fitness and self-confidence," the sources said adding that it would be a very productive employment opportunity for women as a lot of ABC programmes would be launched all over the state.

Sally Kannan, ABC programme manager, said that stray dogs were basically friendlier and trust women more than men.

"From my personal experience as a dog catcher, I have always felt that having a woman in the team makes it easier to catch more dogs," she said.

The method used for catching dogs also greatly affects the behaviour of the street dogs, said experts citing it a reason for the dogs turning more aggressive these days.