Stray dog menace: Panchkula to have tricity’s first dog pound

Spread over 2 acres, the centre will have initially accommodate 500 stray dogs that will be extended to 1,000 in a phased manner.

In a first instance, the Panchkula municipal corporation will open a dog rescue and rehabilitation centre in Sukhdarshanpur village near Ramgarh, 15 km from here, on Thursday.

The dog pound will have two major wings. One is a rehabilitation facility that will have kennel sheds and common feeding area. (HT File/Representative image)

Spread over 2 acres, the centre will have an initial capacity of accommodating 500 stray dogs that will be extended to 1,000 in a phased manner.

MC commissioner Rajesh Jogpal said, “The dog pound will have two major wings. One is a rehabilitation facility that will have kennel sheds and common feeding area.” “It will have a medical wing with provision of dressing, anti-rabies vaccine and indoor medical facility including quarantine,” Jogpal said. He said the centre will have the sufficient manpower including dog catching squad and ambulance.

Work alloted for cattle pound too

MC has allotted work of opening cattle pound adjoining the land where dog rescue centre is planned. It is being constructed in 20 acres and has capacity to accommodate 1,000 stray animals.

Our aim is to bring in sick and injured dogs and other stray dogs from streets, he said. The centre will have supervisors, doctors and other staff to look after dogs, he said.

Jogpal added it is a better way of solving the dog menace than sterilisation.

“The engineering department has been directed to prepare the estimate for the facility. Hopefully, we will issue tender in a week or 10 days,” he said.Dog specialist from Chandigarh and one of the consultants for this project, Shiv Kaushal said that if the plan is executed well, it will emerge as a more practical solution in tackling the menace.

The centre can also have an adoption centre, he said. He said that there are not many facilities available in government sector for rehabilitation of dogs.As per information, population of dogs in Panchkula is nearly 3,000.