Sri Vijaya Puram, Jan. 19: The Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services has completed a meticulously planned three-phase Animal Birth Control (ABC) campaign that ran from December 2025 to January 2026, marking a significant achievement in the humane and scientific management of the stray dog population across key islands. This intensive operation, carried out in strict compliance with the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, focused on sterilising a large number of stray dogs in tourist-heavy and residential areas while ensuring post-operative care, anti-rabies vaccination where required, and safe release back to their original territories.
The campaign was executed in three distinct phases to cover geographically dispersed and high-priority locations. In the first phase, which ran from Dec. 6 to 19 veterinary teams concentrated their efforts on the twin tourist islands of Shaheed Dweep and Swaraj Dweep.
During this period, a total of 212 dogs were sterilised, at the Veterinary Dispensaries in Shaheed Dweep and Swaraj Dweep. These islands were prioritised due to their high tourist footfall and the need to maintain a safe, welcoming environment for visitors and residents alike.
The second phase, conducted from Dec. 26 to 30, expanded the operation to three major Veterinary Centres in North & Middle Andaman and Little Andaman. In this short but highly effective window, the teams sterilised a total of 275 dogs in Veterinary Hospitals at Hut Bay, Rangat and Diglipur.
The third and final phase took place from Jan. 6 to 13, returning to Swaraj Dweep for a focused follow-up operation. During this period, an additional 81 dogs were sterilised, bringing the total sterilised in Swaraj Dweep across the first and third phases to 202 dogs. This targeted reinforcement ensured sustained and comprehensive impact in one of the most visited tourist destinations in the islands.
Overall, the three-phase campaign resulted in the successful sterilisation of 568 stray dogs in a span of just over one month. The operation was complemented by parallel community awareness activities in schools, gram panchayats and public spaces, where residents were educated on dog bite prevention, first-aid protocols, responsible feeding practices, and the importance of supporting ongoing sterilisation efforts.
Ms Pallavi Sarkar, IAS, Secretary (AH&VS), congratulated the veterinary surgeons, para-veterinarians, support staff and local PRI representatives for their unwavering dedication and exceptional teamwork in executing this large-scale campaign under demanding island conditions. She reaffirmed that the Andaman & Nicobar Islands continue to proudly maintain their completely rabies-free status, and that regular, intensive ABC operations combined with sustained public awareness remain the most effective strategy for long-term stray dog management, prevention of dog-bite incidents, and ensuring a safer environment for residents and visitors alike.