What Is ABC? Understanding Stray Dog Sterilisation in India

ABC stands for Animal Birth Control, India's official method of managing the street-dog population. Under ABC, stray dogs are humanely caught, sterilised and vaccinated against rabies by trained teams, then returned to the exact spot they came from. Because dogs are returned rather than removed, ABC controls numbers steadily while keeping rabies down, and it works far better than relocation or culling.

What does ABC actually involve?

ABC is a structured, step-by-step process carried out by recognised organisations under government rules.

1. Catch: trained handlers humanely capture a street dog from its area.
2. Sterilise: a vet performs a spay or neuter surgery so the dog cannot reproduce.
3. Vaccinate: the dog is given an anti-rabies vaccine.
4. Recover: it rests under care for a few days while the wound heals.
5. Return: the dog is released back at the exact location it was picked up.

You can usually recognise a sterilised dog by a small notch or 'V' cut in one ear, the universal mark that a dog has been through ABC.

Why are dogs returned to the same place?

This is the heart of why ABC works. Street dogs are territorial, a sterilised, vaccinated dog living in an area keeps new, unsterilised dogs from moving in.

If you simply remove the dog, the empty territory pulls in fresh dogs from elsewhere, who then breed. This is called the "vacuum effect", and it is exactly why relocation and culling fail.

Why does ABC beat relocation or killing?

• Relocation backfires: removed dogs are replaced by newcomers, so numbers rebound and rabies risk can even rise.
• Culling is illegal and cruel: killing healthy stray dogs is banned in India, and it never solves the problem long-term.
• ABC is humane and lasting: a stable, sterilised, vaccinated population shrinks gradually over the years through natural attrition.
• It fights rabies: vaccinating the same dogs that guard their territory creates a protective barrier for the whole neighbourhood.

India's ABC Rules, framed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, make sterilise-vaccinate-return the legally backed approach. Courts and the Animal Welfare Board of India have repeatedly upheld it.

How can a feeder help with ABC?

Feeders are the unsung heroes of ABC, you know which dogs in your lane are sterilised and which are not.

• Report un-notched dogs to your local ABC centre or animal NGO so they can be picked up.
• Help the catching team, a dog that trusts its feeder is far easier and less stressful to catch.
• Care for post-surgery dogs, when a dog returns with a healing wound, soft food and clean water speed its recovery.
• Keep a record of which neighbourhood dogs still need sterilising.

A dog recovering from surgery often prefers soft, easy food. Many feeders soak our 4 KG vegetarian biscuit pack into a gentle mash so post-operative dogs eat comfortably and regain strength.

Where do you get a street dog sterilised?

You do not pay for ABC surgeries yourself, they are run by municipalities and NGOs.

• Contact your municipal corporation's ABC programme or veterinary department.
• Reach out to a local animal-welfare NGO running sterilisation drives.
• If a returned dog seems unwell after surgery, our guide on signs a street dog needs urgent vet help will tell you when to call for support.

Does ABC really reduce the dog population?

Yes, but it works slowly and only when coverage is high. The goal is to sterilise a large share of an area's dogs so few litters are born. Over the years the population stabilises and then declines naturally, while rabies cases fall thanks to vaccination. Patience and consistent coverage are what make ABC succeed.

Frequently asked questions

What does the ear notch on a street dog mean?

A small notch or 'V' cut in one ear means the dog has already been sterilised and vaccinated through the ABC programme. It tells catching teams and feeders that this dog has been treated.

Is it legal to remove street dogs from my area?

No. Under Indian law and Supreme Court guidance, healthy community dogs cannot be relocated or removed; the lawful approach is sterilisation and vaccination through ABC, after which dogs return to their territory.

Does sterilisation change a dog's nature?

Sterilised dogs are generally calmer and less likely to roam, fight or get into territorial conflicts. It does not make them unfriendly, if anything, they often become more settled members of the community.

Sterilised dogs still need feeding, and a fed dog recovers faster from surgery and stays healthier for vaccination. Support the community dogs in your lane through their ABC journey with a Bhau Bhau 4 KG vegetarian biscuit pack, ₹500, free 500g jaggery included, delivered anywhere in India. Order one and help your neighbourhood's dogs stay healthy, safe and humanely cared for.