20 Stray Canines at Mumbai Airport Receive ‘Aadhaar’ with QR Code Tags

A team enthusiastically provided identification cards to 20 stray dogs near the city airport on Saturday morning. The cards, known as ‘Aadhaar’ cards, were attached to the dogs’ necks and featured a QR code. Scanning the code would reveal the dog’s information, including its name, the contact information of its feeder, and details regarding its vaccination, sterilization, and medical history in case the dog went missing.

The team carried out the process of attaching the identity cards with great excitement. While one of the regular feeders attempted to gain the dogs’ trust, they remained cautious as others approached. After several hours of effort, the team successfully tagged all 20 dogs. Additionally, the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) took the opportunity to administer vaccinations to the dogs near Terminal 1 of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Sahar.

Akshay RidIan, an engineer from Sion, who developed the unique identification tags for dogs as part of the “pawfriend.in” initiative, explained, “We started around 8:30 am and were chasing the dogs to attach the QR code tags and vaccinate them. The QR code tags can help reunite a lost pet with its family and assist the BMC in maintaining a centralized database of stray dogs in the city.”

Sonia Shelar, a resident of Bandra who feeds approximately 300 stray dogs daily, including those near the airport, described her role in the process. She was responsible for getting the dogs closer to a BMC veterinarian who administered the vaccines while a member of the pawfriend team attached the tags. Dog catchers from Yoda, BMC veterinarians, and airport officials participated in the operation.

Dr. Kalim Pathan, BMC’s veterinary health services head, confirmed that the dogs received vaccinations and underwent a basic health check. He further stated that all captured dogs were sterilized. He mentioned the QR code tagging, “This pilot project aims to explore the possibilities of implementing this system for dogs near the airport.”

On July 12, The Times of India reported on the relocation of dogs from outside the airport. Karl Mistry, a resident of Marine Lines, had recorded a video of dogs being captured and taken away in a van near Terminal 2 of the airport.

An airport spokesperson stated on Saturday that they collaborated on the initiative to “ensure the safety of passengers and the furry companions in the area.”