E-Paper
Pune’s stray dog population up from 40K to 3 lakh in 10 years: survey
Pune Municipal Corporation conducted the survey for central government in 2019
The population of stray dogs has gone up from 40,000 to 2,50,000 to 3,00,000 lakh in the last ten years according to a livestock survey conducted by the central government in 2019, say officials of the animal husbandry department and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), requesting anonymity.
PMC was the nodal agency for the survey.
Prakash Wagh, PMC veterinary, said, “It is true that the number of stray dogs has increased in the city but, we cannot disclose the numbers as the survey was undertaken by the central government they will officially disclose the numbers.”
Wagh said, “PMC is taking the necessary steps to control the stray dog menace, but is not getting the expected results. Now, we are in the process of preparing a proposal to bring the population of stray dogs under control and will place it in front of the standing committee in the coming days.”
“In the new proposal, PMC will appoint NGOs to execute the animal birth control programme. We will provide 15 vehicles to such NGOs to undertake the programme. PMC is framing the programme for three years like Mumbai to control the population of dogs,” said Wagh.
“Female breeding cycle is of 60 to 65 days. In a year one female gives birth to at least twenty to twenty-four puppies. We have asked the NGOs to sterilise female dogs and the ratio will be 90 per cent female and ten per cent males,” said Wagh.
Jaydeep Patil, animal rescuer, said, “The government agencies are not serious about the issue. If they execute the animal birth control programme effectively, the problem can be brought into control.”
“The government bodies are not creating enough awareness among masses about dogs, so they have a negative approach towards them,” he added.
