Sabroom’s MMD College organized a major awareness programme on humane stray animal management, highlighting sterilization, vaccination, and new Supreme Court guidelines. Experts stressed public responsibility, animal welfare, and coordinated action for safer communities and improved public health.
The NSS Unit of Michael Madhusudhan Dutta (MMD) College, in collaboration with Sabroom Veterinary Hospital, organized a comprehensive awareness programme on Thursday focusing on the humane and scientific management of stray animals. The initiative, held on the college campus, aimed to raise public awareness and highlight the collective responsibility needed to ensure both public safety and animal welfare.
The programme was presided over by Dr. Anupam Guha, Principal of MMD College. Key attendees included Dr. Soumik Hazar, Medical Officer of Sabroom Sub-Divisional Hospital; Dr. Tridip Debnath, Veterinarian at Sabroom Veterinary Hospital; Dr. Arup Patari, NSS Programme Officer; college professors; NSS volunteers; and a large gathering of students and guests.
Addressing the audience, Dr. Tridip Debnath emphasized that the most effective and humane method of managing street animals—primarily dogs and cats—is through sterilization and rabies vaccination. The process involves scientifically capturing the animals, carrying out sterilization surgeries, administering vaccinations, and then ensuring their safe handling. He highlighted the importance of keeping stray animals healthy, vaccinated, and controlled in population to prevent disease outbreaks and reduce human–animal conflict.
He further stressed that public awareness, responsible ownership, legal enforcement, and the establishment of functional animal shelters are crucial components of stray animal management. “It is essential that communities understand their role,” he said. “Organizations working for animal rights consistently remind us that protecting stray animals and controlling their population is not just the responsibility of the government but a shared duty for all.”
Dr. Soumik Hazar echoed these views, stating that coordinated action from animal welfare groups, government departments, and the public is required to tackle the issue effectively. He cautioned that unnecessary opposition to scientific stray management measures only worsens the situation. “Humane techniques supported by awareness and proper planning are indispensable,” he noted. Dr. Hazar also advised students to utilize healthcare facilities available in government hospitals, emphasizing that public health is closely linked with the management of stray animals.
Adding a crucial legal perspective, Principal Dr. Guha highlighted a recent landmark directive issued by the Supreme Court in November 2025. According to the directive, all public places—including educational institutions, hospitals, bus stands, and railway stations—must remove stray dogs and cattle immediately and shift them to authorized shelters. The ruling also specifies that once sterilized and vaccinated, animals must not be released back into the same location, marking a major shift in national stray animal control guidelines.
Dr. Guha explained that such legal directives were the primary reason behind organizing the awareness programme on an urgent basis. He emphasized that understanding these changes is essential for both the public and future policymakers. He appreciated the NSS Unit for taking proactive steps in building awareness and promoting responsible citizenship among young people.
NSS Programme Officer Dr. Arup Patari thanked all speakers, participants, and partners for their contributions. He urged students to become responsible advocates for animal welfare and encouraged them to spread awareness in their communities. “A compassionate society begins with informed individuals,” he stated. “We need to work together to ensure that humane stray animal management becomes a priority for everyone.”
The event concluded with an interactive session in which students asked questions on sterilization procedures, rabies prevention, animal shelter management, and the legal rights of animals. Experts responded with detailed explanations, stressing that scientific, humane, and lawful measures are the only sustainable way forward.
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The programme reaffirmed the importance of collaborative action between educational institutions, veterinary professionals, government bodies, and the community. By promoting responsible practices and spreading awareness, MMD College aims to contribute meaningfully to public health, animal welfare, and the implementation of national guidelines on stray animal management.
