Thrissur Corporation to take census of street dogs

The Thrissur Corporation is planning to conduct a census of street dogs within its limits. “Thrissur Corporation was the first local body institution in the State to initiate the Animal Birth Control programme.

The Thrissur Corporation is planning to conduct a census of street dogs within its limits. “Thrissur Corporation was the first local body institution in the State to initiate the Animal Birth Control programme. The civic body managed to sterilise most of the stray dogs. Our effort is to sterilise the rest of the dogs too within the Corporation limit,” said Thrissur Mayor M.K. Varghese.

The Corporation also plans to provide reflector belts to both domestic and street dogs to avoid accidents during nights while the animals cross the road, the Mayor added.

Under the census, the number of street dogs in each division and their photos will be recorded. The survey, which will begin soon, is expected to be completed in two months. The census will also help the Corporation monitor areas where street dog attacks are high and to take steps to check them.

The survey will be held by the Animal Birth Control centre at the veterinary hospital, Paravattany, with the technical support of the World-wide Veterinary Services, an NGO. A special app will be used for the purpose, which will help avoid duplication during the survey.

The Compassion for Animal Welfare Association (CAWA), which aims at a rabies-free State, has reportedly shown interest in the census programme. “More than 13,000 dogs have been sterilised at the ABC centre, Paravattani, since the sterilisation programme was launched by the Corporation in 2016. As many as 550 dogs were sterilised from January to June this year. In all 1,070 dogs underwent surgery last year at this ABC centre,” said Veena Aniruddhan of the ABC centre, Paravattani.

“It takes continuous ABC programmes for years to achieve the goal of a rabies-free city. Even if we sterilise dogs in the Corporation limits, dogs from nearby areas may come to the city,” she said.

“The Corporation is ready to provide support for other local bodies in their effort to check the street dog menace. We can share the facilities at the ABC centre, if they can arrange funds,” the Mayor said. Paucity of dog catchers was a hurdle for the Corporation initially. The Corporation had to depend on external agencies for this. Now, the civic body has its own trained dog catchers, he added.