Chandigarh Municipal Corporation to hold fresh stray dog census

Sandeep Rana

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Chandigarh, March 5

In view of the increasing dog-bite cases, the local Municipal Corporation is going to carry out a fresh census of stray dogs.

In the last survey conducted by the UT Animal Husbandry Department in 2018, the number of stray dogs was pegged at 12,920. However, the civic body claimed to have sterilised around 20,000 dogs (till the available data of August last year) since 2015 when sterilisation first started in the city.

Studying models

To tackle the stray dog issue, we need to have the right kind of idea about their present strength and the current scenario. We are studying some successful models to finalise how this census can be done. Anindita Mitra, MC Commissioner

Though many residents have expressed surprise over the figures, an official of the sterilisation wing of the MC said, “Reproduction goes on simultaneously with sterilisation and stray dogs from towns on city borders also enter the UT.”

Last year, the sterilisation programme of the corporation drew flak in a report by the Animal Welfare Board of India. The board had found a number of anomalies in the programme.

While talking to Chandigarh Tribune, Anindita Mitra, MC Commissioner, said: “To tackle the stray dog issue, we need to have the right kind of idea about their present strength and the current scenario. We are studying some successful models to finalise how this census can be done.”

The tenure of the current sterilisation work outsourced to an agency has come to an end and the firm is on an extension till a new agency is hired.

“We are soon going to float a tender to hire an agency for the sterilisation programme. We are yet to finalise if the census part is to be included in the tender or some other arrangement has to be made,” added the MC chief.

Meanwhile, Councillor Saurabh Joshi suggested, “The survey should be authentic and elected representatives involved in it so that they can take along area residents and ‘marketwallahas’ for feedback. There should be GPS-enabled neon collars for dogs with a number written on these. The census should be done annually.”

“Some arrangement should be made for ferocious dogs. Even rabid dogs are seen roaming on roads. Besides, we should also be sympathetic towards canines,” he added, hoping that mistakes done in the street vendor survey would not be repeated.

30 dog-bite cases reported daily

Around 30 dog-bite cases are reported daily in city hospitals and some of these cases come from neighbouring towns.