BHUBANESWAR: With stray dog menace becoming awful in the city, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to start sterilisation of about 5000 stray dogs. The drive is expected to be launched by the next month.

The BMC is in process of finalising the modalities with state Animal Husbandry department to carry out the operation.

"We will go for sterilisation of 5,000 dogs in the first phase. The operation will be carried out in association with the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animal (SPCA)," BMC commissioner Aparajita Sarangi said.

She said an estimated Rs 22 lakhs would be spent on the dog-sterilisation programme. "We are trying to partner with different organisations, including corporate houses, to mobilise funds for the operation," Ms Sarangi said.

The BMC has made a budgetary provision of Rs 10 lakhs for the programme.

The proposed stray dog sterilisation drive could be the largest operation ever carried out by the BMC so far. It would be completed in three months. Last year, the corporation had gone for sterilisation of nearly 500 dogs.

As per the plan, trained dogcatchers would trap stray dogs through loops or nets before transporting them to four veterinary centres identified for the drive. The stray dogs would be picked up from colonies instead of main roads.

After the operation, these dogs would be put up in rehabilitation centers, which would be inspected by veterinarians on every alternate day.

The dogs would be released with an identification clip attached to their ears.

The BMC would spend about Rs 440 per dog during the programme, which included their post-sterilisation rehabilitation.

The city has approximately 10,000 stray dogs in 47 wards of the city.

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