Bhubaneswar houses over 47,000 stray dogs: Civic body

Bhubaneswar, Oct 13 (PTI) The city is home to 47,126 stray dogs, accounting for around 3.62 per cent of the state capital’s 13 lakh population, an official statement issued by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Monday.

Of the total stray dog population in BMC area, 23,047 are males, 15,552 females, and 1,124 puppies.

As many as 4,068 male dogs and 3,335 female dogs have been sterilised, it added.

For the first time in the state, BMC conducted a stray dog count in two phases from September 18 to 25.

The enumeration was carried out across all streets in the 67 wards of the civic area between 5 am and 7 am.

A total of 410 teams, supervised by senior veterinary doctors, swachh sathis, swachh supervisors, sanitary inspectors, community organisers, and other officials, were engaged in the process.

With the city’s population estimated around 13 lakh, stray dogs constitute about 3.62 per cent of the total population. On average, each ward houses 703 stray dogs, the BMC said.

Citing the 20th National and State Livestock Census conducted by the Department of Animal Resources and Dairying, Government of India, the BMC noted that the number of stray dogs in Bhubaneswar is much higher than the national average.

"While the national average of stray dog count is 11 per 1,000 people, it stands at 36 per 1,000 in Bhubaneswar," the statement added.

The average for Odisha is slightly higher, at 39 per 1,000 population.

"The objective of the survey was to reduce dog bites and protect both the public and animals from deadly diseases such as rabies," it said.

The data is also expected to help mitigate traffic problems and accidents caused by stray dogs, and assist authorities in understanding dog population density at the micro-level, it said.

Mayor Sulochana Das said the survey provided scientific data for better urban animal management, dog sterilisation drives, and public safety initiatives. PTI AAM AAM MNB