MADURAI: Stray dog menace in the city has raised safety concerns among the residents and civic representatives, which was in full display during the corporation council meeting held on Tuesday, where several councillors alleged a growth in the stray dog population despite the control measures being taken by the civic body.
A comprehensive census conducted in mid-2025 estimated the stray dog population in the city at 38,348. However, stakeholders claimed that the numbers might have increased, which could pose severe risks to the public and livestock.
During the meeting, Ward 86 Councillor S Booma staged a demonstration inside the council hall, alleging that improper waste management has exacerbated the issue in her locality. "Meat waste is being dumped in the block, which attracts many stray dogs. Recently, a calf was killed by the dogs in the area. Despite raising the issue several times, it remains unaddressed," she said, urging immediate intervention to regulate waste disposal practices.
Councillor S Rethinavelu called for a structured response from the state government to tackle "serious stray dog crisis". He said, "Madurai faces a serious stray dog crisis, with thousands of animals posing risks to residents and tourists. The government must establish an adequate number of shelters and ensure that captured dogs are not released back, enabling a humane, permanent solution."
On the contrary, corporation officials maintained that control measures are being implemented under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme. An official said that an average of 600 stray dogs were captured each month in 2025, with 6,185 dogs sterilised and administered anti-rabies vaccination.
Civic body officials said efforts are underway to scale up the programme, with plans to sterilise about 700 dogs annually in the coming years. Besides, they said the land survey process to establish a dedicated stray dog shelter at Vellakkal has been completed and assured that the construction work would commence soon.
However, some councillors and animal welfare advocates argued that sterilisation alone cannot resolve the issue. Ward 62 councillor K Jayachandran, who is also an animal activist, stressed the need for community participation. "Just sterilisation and accommodating dogs in shelters is not a permanent solution. The corporation should actively promote adoption of stray dogs, which would be a major step towards addressing the issue," he said.