CHENNAI: Tambaram City Municipal Corporation (TCMC) is all set to conduct its first stray dog census since its formation in 2021. The data will help establish baseline indicators for dog population management, enabling authorities to track the effectiveness of the animal birth control programme over time. Repeated annual surveys will help monitor trends and assess the success of ongoing interventions.
The survey, starting from February 25, will be known as the DogPop Survey Project. It will begin with a baseline study to assess the current dog population, both confined and free-roaming, within TCMC. Confined dogs will be monitored through a mandatory registration system managed by local body authorities, while free-roaming dogs will be surveyed through systematic dog sight surveys.
These surveys will be conducted along designated transect routes within each ward to capture key data points such as dog abundance, population density, human-to-dog ratio, neuter and sterilisation rates, gender distribution, health conditions, and the presence of puppies and lactating female dogs.
According to TCMC officials, uncontrolled growth in stray dog population can lead to increased instances of dog bites, road accidents, damage to property, and the potential spread of zoonotic diseases such as rabies. Additionally, many abandoned and homeless dogs suffer from severe injuries, infections, malnutrition, and other health issues due to lack of veterinary care.
Officials said that a systematic and humane approach to dog population management involves multiple components, including education, environmental management, pet registration, controlled breeding, and birth control measures for abandoned and stray dogs.
To ensure accuracy, the survey will be carried out by trained personnel who will collect data at sunrise, and each route will be surveyed three times to establish an average. In total, for the 70 routes, 210 surveys will be undertaken. Given the large scope of the project, 70 riders and 70 data collectors will be deployed to complete the survey in seven days.
“The final survey report will provide insights on the free-roaming dog population, and estimate the total number of dogs within TCMC limits, and the report will offer recommendations for future strategies for managing the dog population,” said Dr S Porchelvan, city health officer of TCMC.
The survey has been scheduled for a 44-day period, with seven days allocated for preparation, one day for training surveyors, six days for data collection, and the remaining 30 days for data analysis.