The population of stray animals, including cattle and dogs, is rising in both rural and urban areas of many states, parliament was informed on Friday.
"Many States have reported that the number of stray animals including cattle and dogs are increasing both in rural and urban areas," Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Sanjeev Kumar Baliyan said.
On reasons for the increase, the minister said many states have enacted cow slaughter act under which there is complete ban on slaughter of cows. Further, the farmers are abandoning the uneconomic bovines (senile, sterile, unproductive, handicapped animals).
"Due to breeding of stray dogs and abandoning of unwanted pet dogs/pups, there is continuous increase in number of stray dogs," he added.
Many states are establishing Gaushalas and shelter houses for control of stray cattle.
The Animal Welfare Board has issued advisory on stray animals to all the state governments/Union Territories on July 12, 2018.