NEW DELHI: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) sterilised nearly 7,000 stray dogs in January and February and more dogs are being picked daily for sterilisation and then released back to the same area, officials said on Saturday. There has been an increase in dog bite incidents in the city in the past six months. An official said the stray dogs are sterilised and immunised against rabies and after sterilisation, they are released back to the same area from where they were picked up.
“A total of 6,904 stray dogs have been sterilised during the two months -- January and February 2023,” the official said. He, however, said the data for March and April is “yet to be studied”.
“On receipt of complaints from the areas, the ferocious or attacking dogs are picked up by the MCD and kept under observation. If their behaviour is found normal, they are released back to the same area from where they had been picked up,” he added.
A 14-year-old boy was injured in a stray dog attack in southwest Delhi’s Rangpuri area on Monday. Last month, two minor brothers were found dead in separate cases of suspected stray dog attacks in southwest Delhi’s Sindhi Camp area.
The incident drew widespread flak and the MCD held meetings to control the menace of the stray dogs. “We have prepared an action plan. We have divided 12 zones into two groups of six each. Every day dogs are being picked up and sterilised,” another official said.