The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is set to intensify its rabies vaccination programme for stray dogs by organising vaccination camps in every ward. This move is necessitated by a shortage of permanent veterinary staff, which the KMC plans to overcome by hiring veterinary doctors on a case-by-case basis.
This action follows a recent directive from the Supreme Court. The court ordered all states and Union Territories to "forthwith" remove stray dogs from places such as educational institutions, hospitals, sports complexes, bus stops, depots, and railway stations. The dogs must then be relocated to a "designated shelter" after undergoing sterilisation and vaccination, in accordance with the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, framed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
Atin Ghosh, who heads the KMC’s Health Department, announced plans for a significant infrastructure upgrade. “We held a meeting of the public safety wing of the KMC on Tuesday and we have decided to set up an eco-friendly dog pound in the empty wetland beside Dhapa where over 4,000 dogs can be kept,” he stated. The existing Dhapa dog pound will be relocated once the new facility's infrastructure is fully developed.
The State Animal Resources Development (ARD) Department has already met with officials from the KMC’s Health wing to devise a working method (modus operandi) for the stray dog sterilisation programme.
Ghosh confirmed that the KMC has conducted regular sterilisation of stray dogs over the past few years, operating from two to three anti-rabies centres located within each of the 144 wards. However, he admitted that the drive has been hampered by a lack of veterinary officers, with five vacancies currently existing.
“We will soon seek the nod of the state for recruiting veterinary officers on a contractual basis to speed up sterilisation of stray dogs,” he added.
Ghosh maintained that instances of dog bites in Kolkata are low compared to most other cities in the country. He noted that there are 18 dedicated vaccination centres where free anti-rabies vaccines are provided to anyone who has been bitten by a dog.
Also read: Security beefed up in Kolkata for India–SA Test after Delhi blast
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