South civic corporation to sterilise stray dogs by 2020

SOUTH CORP HAD IN A SURVEY IN 2016 FOUND THAT THE TOTAL DOG POPULATION IN THEIR AREA WAS 1.8 LAKH

NEWDELHI: The South Delhi Municipal Corporation has decided to sterilise all stray dogs in its jurisdiction by March 2020. The announcement was made by the veterinary department during its standing committee meeting on Wednesday.

The south corporation has also decided to take a series of measures to control the canine population in areas under its jurisdiction.

This includes approving the increased rates for sterilisation of stray dogs to Rs 1,500 per dog from the current Rs 770, floating fresh tenders for conducting dog census and opening more sterilisation centres by next year.

Of the three municipal corpo- rations, only the south Delhi civic body conducted a dog census in August 2016. In the survey, the corporation found the total dog population in the area to be 1,89,285 and of them only 64,837 dogs were found to be sterilised.

“After the result, we started concentrating on sterilising the remaining 1,24,448 dogs by opening four new sterilisation centres and enhanced the capacity to sterilise 200 dog per day in 2017,” said RB Tyagi, director, veterinary department.

At present, the civic agency has 14 dog sterilisation centres run by seven NGOS and one veterinary doctor.

“But we assumed the dogs population would have increased by 30-40% in last one year considering a dog can have puppies two times in a year and survival rates of these puppies are 15-19 %,” said Tyagi.

To verify the figures and find out the results of SDMC’S intensive dog sterilisation programme, the agency has decided to conduct fresh dog census in 2018. “The tenders for the same will be floated in December,” said SDMC official.

The department has also initiated work on opening its 15th dog sterilisation centre at Dwarka. It will be operational by April 2018 and have capacity to sterilise at leat 100 dogs in a day.