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PMC to shift its focus on stray immunisation to curb rabies
The Pune Municipal Corporation in India plans to shift its focus from sterilizing stray dogs to mass immunization in order to eliminate dog-mediated rabies by 2030. The corporation has limited resources for sterilization efforts and will need to involve more agencies for the immunization drive. The stray dog population has decreased, but the number of dog bite cases has increased. A strategic plan for mass immunization has been prepared and awaits approval.
PUNE: The Veterinary Department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has chosen to shift its attention from the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme to mass immunisation of the city’s stray population in a first-of-its-kind initiative to eliminate dog-mediated rabies by 2030. However, the PMC has limited resources to implement the city’s stray dog sterilisation effort.
Currently, the civic authority immunises stray dogs as part of the ABC scheme. Apart from canine inoculation under ABC, the PMC has been immunising dogs on weekends for the past two years, but it has yet to change its focus to mass immunisation and has come up with a plan for mass sterilisation of strays in the city.
During a recent meeting last week, the Central Government directed the PMC to develop a strategic plan for a rabies-free city and to shift its emphasis to immunisation. To achieve its goal, the PMC has to prioritise mass immunisation and design a micro strategy. However, with limited resources mostly focused on the ABC and the incorporation of 34 new communities under PMC control, the civic body’s challenge to eliminate rabies has increased.
Dr Sarika Funde, veterinary superintendent, PMC, said, currently three private agencies are conducting the ABC programme in the city.
“To eliminate the dog-mediated rabies we have to start the mass immunisation of stray dogs. For this, we need to rope in more agencies for the mass immunisation programme. We will soon submit a proposal to the PMC chief requesting to include more agencies for the immunisation drive,” she said.
According to the local body’s most recent stray dog population census, conducted in May 2023, the estimated (stray) canine population has decreased from 3,15,000 in 2018 to 1,79,940 in 2023.
In the last five years, the stray dog population has decreased by 42.87%. Although the number of stray dogs has dropped, the number of dog bite cases in the city has increased.
Dr Funde went on to say that the civic body has been immunising stray dogs on weekends in the city for the past two years, but the number has remained low.
“A strategic plan for mass immunisation of the canines has been prepared and will be implemented once approved by the commissioner,” she stated.
