Ottapalam: A new Animal Birth Control (ABC) centre will be opened at Pattambi amid criticism of inadequate ABC measures to address the issue of the growing population of stray dogs.

The new centre will cater to the western areas of the Palakkad district. Currently, the ABC Centre at the Veterinary Poly Clinic in Ottapalam conducts population control surgeries of community dogs caught from the local body areas in Pattambi taluk.

District Animal Welfare Officer Dr P G Rajesh said the process of setting up adequate infrastructure facilities at the planned centre at Pattambi is in its final phase. Only minor works, like installing surveillance cameras, are pending.

When the ABC scheme was launched, the Ottapalam centre catered to the western regions of the district. Currently, the centre has only one doctor, and it conducts surgeries on 120 dogs every month.

Earlier, the centre had two doctors, and twice as many dogs were subjected to the ABC procedure. However, the centre has been facing a crisis ever since its strength came down to a single veterinarian. Additionally, the centre and the polyclinic, located in 19 cents, have also been facing space constraints.

Several complaints have been made over the efficacy of the ABC programme in the two taluks. Though self-governing local bodies earmark adequate funds for the ABC programme, it has been alleged that the scheme was not returning the desired result. Though the setting up of an ABC centre at Pattambi was mooted years ago, nothing much has happened till recently.