DogExpress
Recently, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started a sterilization programme, but the population of stray dogs in Mumbai continue to grow. Presently, there are more than one lakh strays across the city.
As per civic data
The dog registration carried out in January 2014, out of the 95,172 dogs existing then, 25,933 stray dogs were not sterilized. Of them 14,671 were male and 11,262 were female. Taking into account the dog reproduction rate, the number of stray dogs in the city could be around one lakh.
“To control the stray dog population, the Animal Welfare Board of India has directed to sterilize 30 percent of dogs. Considering this, more than 30,000 dogs should be sterilized yearly by keeping a target of 1.02 lakh stray dogs in next three years,” said a senior civic official.
In 2016, 11,929 dog sterilization surgeries were carried out due to regular services of dog-catching vehicles and appointment of two new Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO). The civic body planned to increase the number up to 32,000 by appointing new additional NGOs.
The estimated cost of sterilization of 1.02 lakh stray dogs for the next three years (April 1017-March 2020) will be Rs. 15.56 Crore.
Animal welfare
The BMC has appointed six NGOs –Welfare of Stray Dogs (Mahalaxmi), Bombay Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Parel), In Defence of Animals (Deonar), Ahimsa (Malad), Utkarsh Star Mitra Mandal (Mulund) and Universal Animal Welfare Society (Malad) – in seven civic administrative zones to sterilize dogs. They charge Rs. 600-1200 per every dog for sterilization. Since 1998, more than 2.80 lakh stray dogs have been sterilized and immunized in the city at the cost of Rs. 10 crore.
Reference: The Asian Age
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