JAMMU: The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has sterilised 14,331 stray dogs and vaccinated 14,706 against rabies between June 12, 2023, and January 25, 2024, as part of its Animal Birth Control (ABC) and Anti-Rabies Vaccination (ARV) programme. The government revealed this information in response to a question raised in the assembly by legislator Mushtaq Ahmad Guroo.
The sterilisation and immunisation drive is conducted at designated ABC centres, where stray dogs are captured, sterilised, vaccinated, and then released back into their original areas. Previously, the programme operated through a single centre at the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, SKUAST Shuhama. However, SMC has since expanded its operations, establishing a second sterilization facility at Tengpora, which is now operational, while a third ABC centre at Ahal Chatterhama is nearing completion.
In addition to sterilisation efforts, the corporation has been raising public awareness regarding dog bite prevention and the benefits of animal birth control. Awareness campaigns have been conducted through print and electronic media, and approximately 15,000 posters related to the ABC-ARV programme have been distributed across various wards. Hoardings have been installed, and advisories detailing do’s and don’ts to avoid dog bites have also been circulated. Further, SMC has been broadcasting jingles about dog sterilization and vaccination through its waste collection vehicles equipped with public address systems.
The government assured that SMC is consistently working to control the stray dog population in Srinagar while ensuring the humane treatment of animals in line with national guidelines.
