Second dog census soon

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will carry out the second dog census in the city soon.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will carry out the second dog census in the city soon. The decision was taken during a Standing Committee meeting on BMCs dog sterilisation programme on Friday. A study group to look into problems of stray dogs will also be formed. The first dog census was conducted in January 2008.

A variation proposal,asking for a cost escalation of Rs 59 lakh in addition to the original contract cost of Rs 1.89 crore for sterilising 30 dogs per day at the cost of Rs 600 per dog for five years,prompted corporators to discuss the plight of dogs that are caught for sterilisation programmes.

NCP corporator Mangesh Bansode said the BMC should have an accurate idea about the number of strays in the city. The 2008 survey pegged stray dogs figure at 70,000. NGOs,however,claimed that the actual number was close to two lakh.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Manisha Mhaiskar said a study group comprising vets,BMC doctors and experts from NGOs will be formed within three months. The group will study the condition of stray dogs and the problems. It will also look at ways of sterilising without causing physical pain,said Mhaiskar.

Sterilisation programmes are being carried out in the city by eight organisations since November 13,2007. Till January 31 this year,around 49,000 dogs were sterilised. A 1994 Supreme Court order made it illegal to kill strays

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