UT home secy holds meet regarding livestock census
The MC officials briefed that tentative population of stray dogs in Chandigarh city would be around 12,000
UT home secretary Mandip Singh Brar, on Tuesday, chaired a meeting regarding the upcoming livestock census 2024 and the stray dog menace. The meeting was attended by municipal commissioner Amit Kumar, animal husbandry and fisheries department secretary Hari Kallikkat and other officials of the animal husbandry department and municipal corporation (MC).
During the meeting, various issues were discussed, including the status of tentative population stray dogs in the city; rules, regulations and guidelines related to sterilisation of stray dogs; status of sterilisation and its success rate in Chandigarh, future roadmap to sterilise 100% stray dogs in Chandigarh city.
The MC officials briefed that tentative population of stray dogs in Chandigarh city would be around 12,000 approximately and Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, which comes under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Act 1960, mandates the sterilisation of stray dogs in city.
The MC is organising anti-rabies vaccination camps for stray dogs in Chandigarh city throughout the year in addition to the dogs getting vaccinated during sterilisation. It was also suggested to include use of low frequency microchip in stray dogs for their identification and record keeping making sure vaccination against rabies in 100% dogs, on the lines of Vadodra city.
Brar observed that the issue of stray dogs is a major issue in the city and many times people feel unsafe to venture out especially at odd hours due to the fear of stray dogs. He directed the sterilisation and vaccination wing of municipal corporation Chandigarh along with local area councillors to work in coordination with census team of animal husbandry department so that all the stray dogs must be vaccinated and sterilised in a time bound manner.