Hyderabad: Drastic fall in stray dog numbers: Civic body

Hyderabad: Compared to previous years, the street dog population in the city has come down to almost half. The GHMC officials it is due to all necessary measures taken for birth control and other measures in controlling the population.

According to a recent survey conducted in coordination with blue cross, the GHMC found that the population of the street dogs has come down drastically. "The count was 3, 61,000 street dogs are counted in the corporation limits recently. A similar survey during the previous year pegged the number at 6 lakh street dogs," informed an official to The Hans India.

Officials at GHMC said that in areas where there is huge dog population and areas received regular complaints, the people around helped in bringing under control the canine growth. With the help of dog catchers van, they were catching the dogs and sending them to the Animal Welfare Centers which were set up by the GHMC in the areas of Amberpet, Kukatpally , Jeedimetla, LB Nagar and Choodibazaar. Here the dogs were given anti rabies vaccine and also sterilization surgeries were performed. "After the surgery the dogs would be under the observation for 2 days and later released in the same area. Ear notching was done to mark the dogs which were given anti rabies vaccine and which underwent surgery," informed official.

The officials at GHMC said that more kennels would come up at animal welfare centers, and it would become easy to put additional numbers under observation. The GHMC veterinary department is said to be planning to launch an information tool as they are receiving complaints of dogs being taken from one area and being released in another area. Through this app the animal activists could upload the video from the time of dog catching and leaving it in the same area.