Hyderabad: The stray dog population has increased to 8.4 lakh in Greater Hyderabad from 5 lakh in 2014. The total number of unsterilised dogs is pegged at 1.6 lakh.
The GHMC’s eight Anti-Birth Control (ABC) centres can sterilise 80,000 dogs per year, which means it would take two years to sterilise all the dogs. Furthermore, residents are up in arms against setting up more centres in residential areas.
The GHMC reached the figure after a dog census was conducted with the assistance of Blue Cross and other animal welfare organisations.
A veterinarian officer from GHMC said, “There are many reasons for the rise in stray dog population. The dogs from adjoining panchayats enter the city limits in search of food. Secondly, panchayats and municipalities do not have dog sterilising units. Another factor is shortage of veterinarian doctors in TS and AP. Also, there is resistance by residents over setting up of anti-birth control centre at residential zones.”
However, officials said to speed up sterilization of 1.6 lakh dogs, more ABC centres have to be set up in the North and East zones.
Complaints against the stray dog menace never stops.
Mr Dharam Kodiganti from Mogul Colony, Old Safilguda, said, “There are many street dogs in our area. They are making our life miserable. We are not able to walk on the street after 11pm and they are chasing people.”
In his complainant, Mr Kiran.K from Kothapet said, “I reside in Green Hills colony. There are 60 dogs which make life miserable and attack people on bikes. This needs urgent attention of authorities.”
