Bengaluru has nearly 2.8 lakh stray dogs, says civic body survey

The survey revealed a 10 percent reduction in the street-dog population compared to the previous survey in 2019, which had estimated the figure at 3,10,000, according to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which undertook the exercise. At the same time, the overall neutering percentage has increased by 20 percent from the estimated 51.16 percent in 2019 to 71.85 percent leading to a reduction in puppy numbers, the report released on Wednesday (October 3) stated.

According to the report, the decline in the street dog population points to the effectiveness of intervention efforts aimed at population control and responsible management. The estimate provides a vital snapshot of the street dog population dynamics across eight zones of BBMP and all the wards within Bengaluru, the city civic body said.

The analysis of gender distribution, age composition, and neutering status adds insights to the formulation of responsible strategies, age-specific interventions and the continuation of successful neutering initiatives, the survey stated.

BBMP carried out the systematic street dog estimation survey using NAPRE (National Action Plan for Dog Mediated Rabies Elimination) recommended method (sight–resight) in all wards of Bangalore city from July 11 and August 2 to study the impact of the ongoing ABC-ARV (Animal Birth Control-Anti Rabies Vaccination) programme, to know the neutering percentage and ward-wise density of stray dog population.

A total number of 100 surveyors in 50 teams under the supervision of 15 Animal Husbandry BBMP officers carried out the survey efficiently, the report stated.

(With agency inputs)