With increasing incidents of people being attacked by aggressive dogs, especially strays, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has swung into action.
Keeping in mind its target to make Ahmedabad a rabies-free city by 2030, it has decided to launch an innovative initiative to tame aggressive stray dogs. The dogs will stay for 15-30 days at a special rehabilitation centre set up by the municipal corporation.
The pilot programme was proposed by the municipal commissioner’s monitoring group and recently approved by AMC’s standing committee.
Private dog owners can also participate in the programme. They can send their pets to the AMC facility, said AMC sources. Experts at the proposed facility will use specific techniques to reduce the aggression so that the dogs will become well behaved and socially accepted.
Dog vaccination is also part of the plan for a rabies-free city. The stray dog population in Ahmedabad is estimated to be over two lakh.
At least 51,244 dog bite complaints were registered in 2020, while 50,668 dog bites were reported in 2021 and 58,125 in 2022.
Meanwhile, registration will soon be mandatory for Ahmedabad’s estimated 50,000 pet dogs. A mobile app for pet registration is in the pipeline. On the app, owners can submit details of breed, photos of the dog and owner and vaccination certificates, according to AMC sources.
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