The Indian Express            21.08.2013

5 yrs on, BMC to conduct its second dog census

"The dog census will begin from September by using a colour coding method which is more effective than traditional methods. This will also help us devise more effective sterilisation plans," said Dr Shantaram Baburao Naik, Deputy Executive Health Officer.

The colour coding method will ensure maximum coverage and minimum scope for error, officials said. BMC has appointed Human Society International, an organisation which works for animal protection and welfare for the project.

Dogs of a specific area will be marked with a certain colour in the first phase. The coding will be done in separate colours in the same area to identify neighbourhood and territorial dogs.

The first census that the BMC undertook between October 2007 and January 2008, had found 76,000 dogs in the city — a figure which many animal activists thought was conservative. Of these, 26, 900 were found to be pet dogs. The first census had also found that 4,204 pet dogs owners had a BMC license for their pets.

According to officials, to conduct successful sterilisation projects, a detailed census needs to be conducted. The civic administration's data point out that more there were more than 200 cases of dog bite recorded in the city daily in 2011. The number of dog bites recorded since 2001 is 6,50,000. Civic officials said the number of dog bites in 2011 was up by over 50 per cent since 2007.

Sterilisation programmes are being conducted here by eight organisations since November 13, 2007. Till January 31, 2011, 49,000 dogs were sterilised.