Hyderabad Struggles with Stray Dog Menace, GHMC Steps Up Efforts
The city of Hyderabad has been grappling with an increasing number of dog-bite incidents. In response, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), through its veterinary department, has launched a major initiative to capture and sterilise stray dogs. So far, teams from the GHMC’s veterinary section have successfully caught 788 street dogs. These dogs have been given anti-rabies vaccinations, and 323 of them have been sterilised.
The GHMC has introduced a comprehensive plan to manage the stray dog population. The focus is on three key areas: sterilisation of stray dogs, vaccination against rabies, and raising public awareness about the issue. By doing this, the GHMC hopes to create a safer environment and reduce dog-bite cases. Officials are working hard to fully implement the Animal Birth Control and Anti-Rabies (ABC-AR) programmes across the city.
Street dogs were captured from six different GHMC circles. A senior officer from the GHMC explained that the action was taken after receiving complaints from local residents. “In the last two days, our dog-catching teams, along with help from animal welfare organisations, have caught over 788 dogs and given them anti-rabies vaccines. Out of these, 323 dogs were also sterilised according to the guidelines of the Animal Welfare Board of India,” said Dr Abdul Wakil, the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO).
On the first day of the operation, the teams managed to capture 374 street dogs and sterilise 145 of them. The following day, the teams caught 414 dogs and sterilised 178, showing an increased effort to tackle the problem.
In addition to the stray dog issue, the GHMC is also addressing complaints about monkeys causing trouble in certain areas. For instance, in Khairtabad zone, the GHMC has placed an automatic monkey-trapping cage at Venkatapuram Colony in Banjara Hills.
Earlier, GHMC Commissioner K Ilambarithi had directed officials to intensify sterilisation efforts to manage the stray dog population. In late October, he visited the Fatullaguda animal sanctuary and inspected various facilities such as a dog-catching vehicle, an operation theatre, and a pet dog crematorium. He also inquired about the number of dogs caught and sterilised each day. Commissioner Ilambarithi urged field officers to conduct daily reviews and catch as many dogs as possible. He further instructed the veterinary department to study how cities like London, New York, and Singapore handle similar stray dog problems.
