Greater Chennai Corporation launches census amid rising cases of dog bites

Also present were Dr Jagadeesan, City Health Officer, and Dr Kamal Hussain, City Veterinary Officer, and the GCC veterinarians along with volunteers from the Madras Veterinary College.

The officials said that the drive is expected to continue for around 120 days across 16 zones in the city, adding, they will also invite willing volunteers to join the exercise.

Today, #GCC initiated a stray dog census, organised vaccinations, and administered ivermectin for ecto and endoparasites in Royapuram division 49 zone 5. The ACS/ GCC Commissioner, City Health Officer, GCC health team, Veterinary volunteers from Madras Veterinary College, and pic.twitter.com/mINHAr8ipS

— Greater Chennai Corporation (@chennaicorp) November 27, 2023

According to a statement issued by the civic body, to save the residents from rabies and to turn Chennai rabies-free, the GCC alongside the health and veterinary departments, would be taking measures based on the guidelines provided by the World Health Organisation.

It was noted that as per the census in October 2018, Chennai was estimated to be home to 57,366 dogs.

The GCC has deployed seven dedicated teams comprising a veterinarian, four dog catchers, two assistants and a vehicle which would aim to capture and vaccinate approximately 910 stray dogs each day.

“The dogs will be left in the same area from where they will be picked after they are provided vaccinations and parasiticides. The treated dogs will be marked with a dye for identification,” the GCC noted.

Though the population of stray dogs in the city would be known only after the census, the officials said with a possibility of the dog population increasing by 10 per cent each year, the count in Chennai may cross the estimated figure of 93,000.

In the Royapuram area on Friday, a rabid dog bit 29 people, including five children. The injured victims were rushed to the Government Stanley Medical College and Hospital for treatment. They were provided with anti-rabies vaccines and monitored closely by the officials.

The dog that went on a biting spree was beaten to death by the public. The autopsy confirmed that the animal was infected with rabies following which, instructions were given to implement the ring-vaccination drive to immunise dogs in the Royapuram area and to keep them in observation for symptoms of rabies.

Radhakrishnan, while speaking to the media, explained the constraints the officials have in capturing the dogs as they cannot sterilize a lactating dog or a pregnant dog and said such dogs keep producing new puppies.

Radhakrishan added that dog lovers should understand that feeding the dogs and going away is not dog love rather adopting it as per the rules is.