BMC to launch dog census in Bhubaneswar, tagging and micro-chipping planned

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to conduct a comprehensive census of dogs in the capital city, covering both stray and pet dogs. 

As part of the program, dogs will be tagged on their ears for easy identification. BMC will maintain a complete database of all the dogs in the city, informed Mayor Sulochana Das on Friday.

The census program will record details such as the owners of pet dogs and the movement patterns of stray dogs. Information on sterilization and vaccination status will also be stored in microchips, helping monitor the health condition of the animals.

According to estimates, more than 80,000 dogs currently live across different parts of Bhubaneswar. The data of pet dogs kept at households will also be included in the BMC records.

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Mayor Das emphasized that tagging dogs will not only enhance the city’s beauty but also ensure the safety and well-being of the animals.

"We are going to start a census program to count all the stray dogs in Bhubaneswar. We have already informed about it in the media and all the primary work in this regard has been completed. We are delaying the program a little bit due to the ongoing rainy season. The program will start as soon as the rain stops," said Mayor Sulochana Das.

"We will tag all the dogs as part of the program so that the movement pattern of the dogs can be recorded. We will also be able to know whether the dog has been sterilised or vaccinated. All this information will be stored in the microchip. It will help us monitor their health condition and numbers. Census is required for all these things. We are estimating that there are more than 80,000 stray dogs in Bhubaneswar now. However, their exact number could be known only after the census," she added.