Kharar civic body begins sterilisation of stray dogs

Residents have also sought regular monitoring of the sterilisation programme to ensure that the animals are properly operated upon and subsequently returned to their original locations

After Mohali and Zirakpur, the Kharar municipal council has initiated a sterilisation drive for stray dogs following increasing complaints about their growing numbers and incidents of dog bites.

Officials and local residents believe the move will help control the stray dog population by preventing the birth of new puppies. (HT File)

The civic body has entrusted the work to Compassion for Animals Welfare Association (CAWA). The agency has started catching stray dogs from different parts of the town for sterilisation starting last Tuesday. After the procedure, the dogs will be released back in the same locality from where they were picked up.

Officials and local residents believe the move will help control the stray dog population by preventing the birth of new puppies. Residents have welcomed the initiative but stressed that the drive should be carried out regularly and across all wards rather than being limited to selected areas.

Stray dog packs have become a growing concern in several parts of Kharar, particularly at night. Residents say children going to school in the morning and people returning home at night often face difficulties because of groups of stray dogs. In some cases, dogs chasing two-wheelers also pose a risk of accidents.

Residents have also sought regular monitoring of the sterilisation programme to ensure that the animals are properly operated upon and subsequently returned to their original locations. They said merely removing dogs from an area would not provide a permanent solution, as new animals could enter the locality.

The municipal council’s initiative is being seen as an attempt to address the issue through population control rather than indiscriminate removal of stray dogs. Residents have urged the civic body to maintain ward-wise records of sterilised animals and conduct periodic drives so that the population can be kept under control.

Local people said a sustained sterilisation programme, coupled with regular monitoring, would provide a more effective and humane solution to the stray dog problem.