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MHB Colony stray dogs tagged with QR code collars
With Rakshabandhan round the corner, Sudhir Kudalkar, senior police inspector of MHB police station, said he decided to tag QR codes on the dogs he feeds and also appealed to the 8,000 members of his organisation, Pal Animal Lover, and other feeders to be a part of the initiative that was started by pawfriend.in, an NGO
Mumbai: In an effort to ensure the safety of stray dogs, the MHB Colony police on Sunday decided to mark seven street dogs near the station with QR code collars which will help geo-tag them, identify their migration and also keep tabs on vaccination and other data.
The collars are connected to a mobile application and carry contact and identity information.
With Rakshabandhan round the corner, Sudhir Kudalkar, senior police inspector of MHB police station, said he decided to tag QR codes on the dogs he feeds and also appealed to the 8,000 members of his organisation, Pal Animal Lover, and other feeders to be a part of the initiative that was started by pawfriend.in, an NGO.
According to Kudalkar, who is an animal lover, the QR codes are connected to a mobile application which will not only show the location where the stray belongs to but also the contact details of his or her caretaker or feeder. The app will also show whether the animal has been vaccinated or not.
“In case the stray goes missing from the area and is found by someone else, they could easily find out where the animal has come from just by scanning the QR code,” said Kudalkar.
In festivals like Ganesh puja, several stray animals run away due to the loud noises and firecrackers. Many animals are also killed in freak accidents in the city and not accounted for. “In such cases, the QR code will help the police in tracking the name, and other details of the animal,” said Kudalkar.
Kudalkar’s organisation had started an ambulance service for the stray animals this year to give medical assistance to strays across the city.
Akshay Ridlan, the visionary behind pawfriend.in, introduced ‘Suraksha Kavach’ QR tags, a digital revolution for stray animals in February 2023. Ridlan has put QR codes on over 1,500 strays already tagged across India, and over 500 in Mumbai. Ridlan said, These innovative tags ensure the safety of our four-legged friends and aid in locating missing pets.
“We are calling upon philanthropists and animal lovers and aim to secure sponsorships for citywide tag implementation, driving towards a safer and ‘Surakshit Bharat’ for all stray animals,” said Ridlan.