Stray dog management: Chennai plans shelter for aggressive and rabid ones

Chennai: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is identifying land on the city’s outskirts to house up to 500 aggressive, rabid or suspected rabid dogs, in line with a Supreme Court directive issued on 22 August.

The court ordered that such animals must be kept in dedicated facilities rather than released back onto the streets. It also directed civic bodies to earmark a single designated feeding point in every ward for strays, where food can be provided under regulated conditions.

While the new facility is still in the planning stage, the GCC has detailed its wider stray dog control and rabies-prevention measures.

In August alone, 46,122 dogs received anti-rabies vaccinations, and deworming camps were conducted in five zones, Manali, Madhavaram, Tondiarpet, Alandur and Adyar. The drive, launched by Mayor R Priya on 9 August, aims to build a rabies-free city.

For sterilisation, the civic body currently runs five centres, carrying out about 115 surgeries a day before returning the dogs to their neighbourhoods. Ten more centres are being set up, while facilities at Pulianthope, Lloyds Colony and Kannammapet are being upgraded with additional kennels.

Sterilised dogs are now fitted with QR-coded collars and microchips carrying details of capture, vaccination and release. So far, 12,255 dogs have been tagged.

On staffing, the GCC has engaged 16 veterinary assistant surgeons (including 11 on contract), five sterilisation surgeons, 78 dog catchers and 105 centre staff. Three veterinarians from the Tamil Nadu Animal Welfare Board have also been deputed to oversee operations.

The Corporation is tightening pet ownership rules, too. Licensing has been made mandatory, with 13,287 licences issued so far through online and WhatsApp applications. Microchipping is compulsory at the time of licensing. Owners abandoning pets, failing to clean up after them in public spaces, or allowing them to roam without leashes or muzzles now face penalties.

Officials said the multi-pronged effort, combining vaccination, sterilisation, licensing and stricter enforcement, is aimed at ensuring both public safety and animal welfare in the city.

IANS