To curb the increasing stray dog population, Bhubaneswar MC passed a bylaw encouraging residents to adopt stray dogs, but safety concerns have been raised by residents. Data from the Directorate of Health Services shows that in the last 5 years, 87,202 dog-bite cases have been reported in India, with over 60 million stray dogs.

The Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001 enacted under Section 38 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act mandates sterilization & vaccination of stray dogs to control their population, requiring support from animal welfare organizations, individuals, & local authorities. Civic bodies play a crucial role in funding these programs. The recent amendment of the act by the central government urges Municipal Corporations to jointly implement the Animal Birth Control (ABC) & Anti Rabies Program, with the corporation's budget playing a crucial role in funding - for example, Muzaffarnagar MC has allocated 1 cr. for stray dog management.

To address complaints about stray dogs, several Municipal Corporations, including Surat, Vijayawada, Guntur, & Nagpur, have increased their capacity for vaccination & sterilization programs. In Berhampur & Rudrapur, residents have urged local authorities to expedite the implementation of the ABC program to control the menace.

Sterilization & vaccination are crucial for effective stray dog management, but these processes often face delays due to various issues. However, in Thiruvanmiyur, residents have successfully implemented a decentralized approach to caring for community dogs by forming a WhatsApp group. The group ensures the continued roles of adopting pups, alerting residents about sick canines, feeding strays, & sterilizing dogs. Similarly, in Greater Hyderabad MC, welfare organizations have been involved in awareness programs to coordinate with citizen groups & elected representatives. Additionally, citizen groups in Goa have been actively feeding, rescuing, catching, & transporting stray dogs for sterilization, resulting in the sterilization of over 300 dogs - highlighting the need for better management of stray animals in cities. Is your city implementing ABC program? To know more, read.