The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection has approved the Rabies Eradication and Dog Registration Bill, subject to amendments to certain provisions.
The committee discussed the Bill at a meeting in Parliament on Tuesday, chaired by MP Najith Indika.
The proposed law aims to eradicate rabies in Sri Lanka through dog vaccination, population control and the regulation of commercial dog breeding. It also seeks to formalise dog registration and to set up national and regional advisory committees for rabies eradication.
The Bill would replace the existing Rabies Ordinance and the Dog Registration Ordinance with a single new legal framework.
During the discussion, the committee said the age at which dogs should receive their first rabies vaccination needs to be clarified. It also paid particular attention to people who voluntarily feed, care for or provide medical help to stray dogs.
The committee discussed amendments to ensure that such people are not automatically treated as legal owners, or held responsible for every obligation that applies to dog owners, simply because they help stray animals.
On sterilisation, the committee said it should be carried out through surgical procedures under veterinary supervision. Concerns were raised about alternative methods, including hormonal injections.
Proposals were also discussed to revise the fines for failing to register a dog, to tighten the rules for commercial dog breeding centres and to introduce stricter measures against animal cruelty. The committee further stressed the need to follow proper veterinary procedures when handling dogs suspected of having rabies, and discussed the responsibilities of the advisory committees and how they would work with other institutions.
Background
Rabies is a viral disease that is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, and dog bites are the main way it spreads to people, according to the World Health Organization. It can be prevented by vaccinating dogs and by giving people treatment promptly after a bite.
Sri Lanka currently regulates the issue through two separate ordinances, one on rabies and one on dog registration. The new Bill brings the two subjects into one law. A committee’s approval is one step in the legislative process, and the Bill still has to be taken up by Parliament, where amendments can be made.
What it means
If the Bill is passed in the form discussed, dog owners could be required to register their animals and to keep them vaccinated, and the fines for failing to register could change. The committee has also discussed who counts as an owner, so people who feed stray dogs would not automatically carry the same legal duties as owners.
Commercial breeding centres could face stricter regulation. The final rules will depend on the amendments made before the Bill is debated in Parliament.
