Mumbai's Bold Plan to Curb Stray Dog Crisis with New Birth Control Centres
Mumbai's stray dog population continues to pose challenges for residents, with around 70,000 dog bite cases reported each year. In response, a new proposal aims to strengthen the city's animal birth control efforts. The plan, set for discussion on March 17, seeks to address safety concerns and improve transparency in sterilisation programmes.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has long run sterilisation programmes to manage stray dogs. Between 1994 and December 2023, over 4.03 lakh dogs were sterilised, with 1.48 lakh procedures carried out in the last decade alone. A 2024 survey showed this effort helped reduce the stray dog count from 95,172 to 90,757 over ten years.
Despite these figures, some newly elected corporators question the programme's effectiveness. NCP corporator Ajit Raorane has now proposed setting up Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres in all 26 ward offices. His plan includes installing CCTV cameras to ensure transparency and public trust. Mayor Ritu Tawde supports expanding the programme, citing insufficient infrastructure and heavy reliance on NGOs like the Blue Cross of India. Sunish Subramanian, Secretary of PAWS Mumbai, also called for greater public involvement and clearer monitoring of sterilisation efforts. The proposal will be debated at the Civic House next week.
If approved, the new ABC centres could increase sterilisation rates and reduce stray dog-related incidents. The BMC's ongoing efforts, combined with Raorane's transparency measures, may help address long-standing concerns about public safety and animal welfare. The outcome of the March 17 discussion will determine the next steps.
