Rabies Vaccination for 26 Stray Dogs at Mumbai Airport

On Tuesday morning, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) conducted a vaccination drive against rabies for 26 stray dogs at Terminal 2 of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai.

As part of this initiative, near-field communication (NFC) tags were affixed to the vaccinated dogs to enhance the management of stray dogs. The BMC organized the vaccination drive with NGOs Yoda, Captain India, Zimaxx, and Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL).

BMC officials highlighted that a similar drive occurred at the airport’s Terminal 1 in July of the same year. Kalimpasha Pathan, the general manager of Deonar Abattoir, mentioned that the airport location was chosen due to the high volume of people passing through daily.

In addition to administering vaccinations, NFC tags with QR codes were attached to the dogs’ collars. These tags contain information about the dogs and their vaccination status. This approach has multiple benefits, including locating an injured or missing dog and including details about their caregivers for improved management of the stray dog population.

Pooja Sakpal, the founder of NGO Yoda, explained that scanning the NFC tag would trigger an alert to the safety command center, allowing prompt response to any issues the dogs face. This system not only aids in dog census but also facilitates immediate assistance when needed.

Given the rise in dog bite cases, BMC has partnered with Mission Rabies and Worldwide Veterinary Services (WVS) to vaccinate around 100,000 stray dogs in Mumbai. Although the mass vaccination drive is set to begin in February 2023, BMC officials plan to conduct a mini-pulse vaccination drive to vaccinate 15,000 stray dogs on World Rabies Day, observed on September 28 each year.