The ABC programme sterilises millions of dogs. It just can’t tell which ones it’s already done.
India’s Animal Birth Control programme is the largest stray dog sterilisation effort in the world. Every municipal corporation is legally required to run it. It exists because culling doesn’t work — killed dogs are replaced by new ones within months, while sterilised dogs hold territory and keep newcomers out. The programme is sound. The implementation has one structural flaw: identity. A sterilised dog looks identical to an unsterilised one unless you catch it and check for an ear notch. Muzzl was built to close that gap.
What the ABC programme actually does
The Animal Birth Control programme operates under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and the ABC Rules 2023. Municipal corporations either run their own ABC operations or engage registered NGOs and service providers. The programme covers two interventions:
- Sterilisation (spay/neuter) — prevents reproduction, reduces territorial aggression over time
- Anti-rabies vaccination (ARV) — protects the dog, protects humans, contributes to herd immunity across the population
India accounts for roughly 36% of global rabies deaths — around 20,000 people per year. The ABC programme is the primary public health mechanism for reducing this. It is not optional for municipal bodies: courts have consistently held that killing stray dogs is illegal under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
The seven steps of an ABC operation
- Complaint or survey. A resident or animal welfare organisation reports dogs in a specific area, or the municipal team conducts a census of the dog population.
- Capture. Dogs are caught using a humane dog-catching net or cage trap. Capture teams are required to be trained under the ABC Rules.
- Transport. Dogs are moved to an ABC facility in a vehicle that meets minimum space and ventilation standards.
- Health check and surgery. A registered veterinarian performs the sterilisation. Dogs that are pregnant, lactating, sick, or injured are not operated on until they recover.
- Ear notch. A small V-shaped notch is made in the left ear during surgery. This is the primary visual identifier that the dog has been sterilised — but it is only visible on close inspection.
- Recovery. Dogs are housed at the facility for a minimum of 48 hours post-surgery, fed, and monitored for complications.
- Release. Dogs are returned to the exact location from which they were collected. Under the ABC Rules 2023, this is mandatory — a sterilised dog cannot be relocated to a different area.
What the ABC Rules 2023 changed
The 2023 Rules replaced the ABC Rules 2001 and made several significant changes that directly affect community feeders and welfare workers:
Key changes under ABC Rules 2023
- Community feeders formally recognised. The rules explicitly acknowledge the role of residents who feed and care for community dogs, giving them standing to interact with municipal authorities on the dog’s behalf.
- Mandatory return to territory. Sterilised dogs must be returned to their original location. Relocation is only permitted in documented cases of proven aggression — not in response to general complaints about a dog’s presence.
- Individual dog identification required. Each dog must be identified before the ABC procedure and after. The ear notch is the standard, but the rules allow for additional identification methods.
- Time-bound response to complaints. Authorities must respond to reported dog bites and aggression complaints within a defined period.
- Welfare standards for facilities. Minimum space, feeding, and veterinary care standards for ABC facilities are now codified.
Rights of community dog feeders
If you regularly feed dogs in your area, the ABC Rules 2023 give you specific protections:
- You can request that sterilised, vaccinated dogs under your care be returned to your area after an ABC operation — they cannot be permanently relocated on a neighbour’s complaint alone.
- If a dog is picked up for ABC, you are entitled to know where it has been taken and when it will be returned.
- You can approach the local Animal Welfare Board or district authorities if a sterilised dog is impounded or removed without cause.
- You are not legally liable for a community dog simply because you feed it — feeding does not make you the owner under Indian law.
If your community dog is taken and not returned
File a complaint with the municipal corporation’s animal welfare wing citing Rule 6 of the Animal Birth Control Rules 2023, which requires sterilised dogs to be returned to their original location. If the municipal response is inadequate, a writ petition in the High Court under Article 226 has been the standard recourse — multiple High Courts have ordered the return of sterilised dogs on this basis.
The identity gap the ABC programme hasn’t solved
The ear notch works as a visual signal for an experienced handler at close range. It does not:
- Link to a vaccination record
- Identify the individual dog (two dogs with ear notches are indistinguishable in a database)
- Tell a pound whether a dog that was recaptured is the same one that was sterilised three years ago
- Give a feeder any way to prove to a municipal officer that a specific dog has been registered
The result: an estimated 20–30% of ABC operations in India are performed on dogs that have already been sterilised. Field teams can’t always check for ear notches before capture, especially at night. Without a verifiable identity record, the programme wastes resources and puts dogs through surgery they don’t need.
How Muzzl integrates with the ABC programme
Muzzl creates a biometric nose-print identity record from a 10-second smartphone video — before and after the ABC procedure. The record is linked to the dog’s sterilisation status, vaccination history, location, and caregiver. Any field team member with a phone can verify identity in seconds, without catching or restraining the dog. For community feeders, Muzzl provides a registration record that gives their dogs standing under the ABC Rules.
Muzzl is free for NGOs and community feeders. Launching in Pune in Q4 2026, pan-India in 2027.
How to report a dog for ABC sterilisation
- Contact your municipal corporation’s animal welfare or veterinary wing by phone or through the civic portal.
- Provide the dog’s approximate location, description, and whether it has already been ear-notched.
- If you are the dog’s feeder, provide your contact number so you can be informed when the dog is ready for return.
- Follow up if you do not receive a response within 7 days — most municipalities have a written acknowledgement requirement.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ABC programme?
The Animal Birth Control programme sterilises and vaccinates stray dogs across India under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and ABC Rules 2023. It is the legally mandated alternative to culling, which Indian courts have consistently ruled unlawful.
What are the ABC Rules 2023?
The ABC Rules 2023 replaced the 2001 rules. Key updates: community feeders formally recognised, sterilised dogs must return to original territory, individual identification is required for each dog, and municipal bodies must meet time-bound response standards.
What is a community dog?
A stray or street dog regularly fed and cared for by residents in a fixed area. Under the ABC Rules 2023, sterilised community dogs are entitled to stay in their territory. The person who cares for them is called a community dog feeder.
Can a sterilised community dog be removed?
No — not solely because residents complain about its presence. The ABC Rules 2023 require sterilised dogs to be returned to their original location. Relocation is only permitted in documented cases of proven aggression.
How do I report a dog for sterilisation?
Contact your municipal corporation’s animal welfare wing. Provide the dog’s location and description. If you are the feeder, give your number so you can be informed when the dog returns.
What happens after sterilisation?
The dog is kept for 48 hours, then returned to its original location with an ear notch as the visual ID. A biometric nose-print record provides a more complete, searchable identity that links to the dog’s vaccination and sterilisation history.