Stray Dogs At Marina Will Be Getting ID Cards Soon

Chennai: Stray dogs at Marina beach might get their own ID, along with a photograph and identifying marks if the animal activists have their way. The animal activists have started to adopt dogs at the beach as a part of a pilot project that aims to eradicate stray dog menace issue.

“It was while talking to V Balakrishnan, the deputy commissioner of police, Mylapore, that we came up with the idea,” says animal welfare activist Dinesh Baba.

According to a police survey on stray dogs at Marina

“A lot of people said that there were many stray dogs on the beach, which made it scary for them to walk there. We called experts from each field – from activists to vets – and had a discussion to come up with possible solutions so that we can prevent the menace and also ensure the safety of the dogs,” says DCP Balakrishnan.

The pilot project to ‘adopt’ the Marina was one of the proposals presented. As part of it, Dinesh, along with other volunteers, will first map the area.

“We will then do a dog census. Volunteers will then go to the beach every day for two or three weeks and count the dogs so that we get an idea of the canine population there,” he says.

Stray dogs Info will be monitored

They will take a photo of each dog, note down their identification marks, and tag their location using mobile phones.

“All the information will be recorded as a document that volunteers can refer to. Veterinarians are also being roped in. They will visit the Marina beach in Chennai twice a week and injured or ailing dogs will be given onsite treatment,”says Dinesh

He added that volunteers will do the follow-up and also ensure that the dogs are given the full course of medicines. Balakrishnan says that they are also planning to designate one or two places as dog feeding areas. Awareness programmes are also on the agenda.

“We plan to bring out a chart on dog behavior so that people know how to approach or feed a dog, and keep away from an aggressive animal. We will also be creating awareness about anti-rabies vaccine and what to do in case of a dog bite,” said Dinesh.

A meeting will be held on September 9 between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. in Porur to discuss the project. Interested people/volunteers can contact this number for more information – 9841588852.