Civic body mulls use of microchips in stray dogs for identification

The municipal corporation (MC) here has planned to include the use of low frequency microchips in stray dogs for their identification and to vaccinate them against rabies.

Home Secretary Mandip Singh Brar chaired a meeting regarding the upcoming livestock census 2024 and stray dog menace here yesterday. During the meeting, various issues were discussed, including the status of tentative population of stray dogs in the city, rules, regulations and guidelines related to sterilisation of stray dogs, status of sterilisation and its success rate in Chandigarh, future roadmap to cover complete sterilisation of stray dogs in the city.

The MC officials briefed that the tentative population of stray dogs in Chandigarh would be around 12,000 and Animal Birth Control Rules-2023, which comes under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Act 1960, mandates the sterilisation of stray dogs in the city. They said that the MC was organising anti-rabies vaccination camps for stray dogs throughout the year.

It was also suggested to include use of low frequency microchips in stray dogs for their identification and record keeping to make sure vaccination against rabies in 100% dogs is done on the lines of Vadodara city.

Brar observed that the issue of stray dogs was a major issue in the city and many a times people felt unsafe to venture out, especially at odd hours due to the fear of stray dogs. He directed the sterilisation and vaccination wing of the MC, along with local councillors, to work in coordination with the census team of the Animal Husbandry Department, so that all stray dogs could be vaccinated and sterilised in a time-bound manner.

The meeting was attended by Amit Kumar, MC Commissioner, Hari Kallikkat, Secretary, Department Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, and other officials of the Department of Animal Husbandry and the MC.