GREATER NOIDA: To address the issue of community animals’ feeding and care in residential societies, the Greater Noida authority as part of its new set of guidelines on Sunday asked all societies to compile and submit detailed data about these animals existing in their premises within a month.
The new guidelines, prepared for residents’ bodies including apartments owners’ associations (AOAs), resident welfare associations (RWAs), facility management teams, and individual feeders, also offer the authority’s plans and suggestions over the issue.
Stating that this data must include the estimated number of community dogs and cats, existing feeding points, vaccination and sterilisation status, and contact details of the feeder, RWA, AOA, or facility management team, an authority official said the aim is to create a streamlined system that balances animal welfare with residents’ safety in mind. “The directive is part of the authority’s revised policy on pet and community animals, which was approved in June last year,” the official added.
Reacting to the data sought by the authority, some residents’ bodies assured of their cooperation. “We will co-operate with the Greater Noida authority and work out a way so that the society becomes more compassionate towards the community animals including dogs,” said Alok Nagar general secretary sector Delta 2 RWA.
Meanwhile, the authority’s move follows numerous complaints it received through social media, government portals, and RTI (right to information) applications, primarily concerning disputes over feeding locations and responsibilities.
In response, the authority clarified that under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, feeding points must be jointly decided by RWAs and feeders. These locations should be safe, secluded from high-traffic areas such as gates, play areas, and staircases, and should avoid times when children or elderly residents are active.
Cleanliness is a key component of the guidelines, as they state that feeders are responsible for maintaining hygiene at the designated spots and must cooperate with sterilisation, vaccination, and rehabilitation efforts, it said.
To resolve disputes, the authority will form an animal welfare committee. This body will include officials from the veterinary department, local police, animal welfare organisations, and the complainant along with RWA or AOA representatives.
The committee will be empowered to finalise feeding locations and appoint caretakers from within the society, if required. In case of dissatisfaction, stakeholders may appeal to the State Animal Welfare Board.
Outlining the protocols for dog bite incidents and suspected rabies cases, the new guidelines say that the authority will ensure immediate medical treatment for victims at government hospitals. Suspected rabid dogs will be isolated and monitored by a vet, with humane treatment provided by authorised NGOs.
The authority will also soon launch a helpline and plans to reimburse registered NGOs for medical care under the sterilisation and vaccination programme. Public awareness drives will also be conducted using material from the Animal Welfare Board to promote peaceful cohabitation with community animals.
Some animal lovers on Sunday urged the authority to create a better environment for existence of the community animals. “The government body must create more facilities such as dog parks, green space and safe zones for the community animals so that their life is safe and better in the city. There are not enough areas such as parks where we can take our dogs to,” said Dilit Sharma, a dog lover.
To be sure, community dogs are territorial, serve as guard dogs, and keep the rodent population down. These dogs can’t be exterminated or simply shipped out; there are legal restrictions against both.
According to guidelines laid down by the Animal Welfare Board of India and Prevention of Cruelty (Animal Birth Control) Rules, 2023, a civic body can pick up dogs to sterilise them, but after surgery and recovery, these animals must be released in the same area.