{
  "id": 5933870,
  "title": "Tamil Nadu failing at animal birth control",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/06/tamil-nadu-failing-at-animal-birth-control",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-06T07:23:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tamil-nadu-animal-birth-control-centres-in-shambles/article71431541.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent internal report revealed a concerning situation at an Animal Birth Control (ABC) centre in Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, India. In late 2025, the center released 50 emaciated dogs that had been starved for a month, with 20 of them dying. The ABC centre was operated by the Vet Society for Animal Welfare and Rural Development, based in Hyderabad. Activists argue that the ABC process in local bodies has become an assembly-line operation, incentivizing projected numbers rather than actual outcomes. Local authorities outsource the sterilisation process to contractors, who are paid per dog caught, often leading to the capture of unfit dogs such as puppies, lactating females, and pregnant ones. Veterinarians and activists claim that improper suturing techniques, inadequate pain management, and reuse of suture material contribute to a high rate of complications and death among sterilised dogs. Despite guidelines mandating humane capture, pre- and post-operative care, and strict sterilisation methods, many ABC centres are failing to adhere to these standards, resulting in poor animal welfare and a high mortality rate.",
  "summary": "The abject failure of the Animal Birth Control programme in the State is apparent on the streets. This report reveals that the ABC programme, besides being in a shambles, is inhumane, corrupt, and cruel, in many cases",
  "key_points": [
    "50 emaciated dogs released, 20 died within a month",
    "ABC process criticized as assembly-line, number-focused",
    "Humane capture and care guidelines often ignored"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}