BENGALURU: In what could result in a possible reduction in the rate of growth in the stray canine population in Bengaluru, up to 71.85 per cent of the 2.79 lakh stray dogs have been sterilized, BBMP has announced while terming it a “big achievement”. Of the strays sterilized, 1,65,341 are male and 82,757 female.
Dr KV Trilok Chandra, Special Commissioner for Health, BBMP, under the jurisdiction of which the animal husbandry department falls, released the report on the survey of dogs under the BBMP’s jurisdiction. He said a total of 2,79, 335 stray dogs were found in the eight zones of the corporation in the survey conducted in July.
In the 2019 stray dog survey, it was estimated that there was 3.10 lakh and 51.16 per cent of stray dogs were sterilized.
“The rate of sterilization of stray dogs has increased by 20 per cent, which resulted in a 10 per cent reduction on stray dogs in the BBMP jurisdiction,” said Dr Chandra.
He said a survey of stray dogs was conducted for a month in July by adopting the method recommended by the National Action Plan for dog mediated Rabies Elimination’ (NAPRE) for the successful implementation of the measures, and to formulate appropriate plans to tackle the stray dog menace and controlling their population. “The Palike will call tenders for the five-in-one vaccine, which protects against five viruses including Canine Distemper Virus, Canine Parvovirus, Rabies and others. This is the first in India wherein such an initiative has been taken up in Municipality limits,” he said.
A total of 100 surveyors and 15 supervisors, including BBMP Animal Husbandry Department officers and staff, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Department, and Bengaluru City District para-technical staff, conducted the survey.
The four divisions of BBMP namely residential areas, slums, commercial areas, and lakes were divided into 6850 microzones of 0.5 sq km area, of which 20 per cent random samples, i.e. 1,360 microzones, were selected for the survey. The official explained that the stray dog survey was carried out systematically in collaboration with 50 ward-wise teams.