A fresh approach is being taken by Chandigarh to control the number of stray dogs. The city is going to be among the first in the area to microchip its street canines. The Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC) gave their permission on Monday.
What are the benefits of microchipping?
Track Dog Bites: Mayor Kuldeep Kumar explained that these microchips will help authorities track down dogs involved in biting incidents. Whenever a bite occurs, scanning the microchip will reveal details about the specific dog.
Maintain Dog Census: The microchips will also help create a digital record of Chandigarh’s stray dog population. This will be more accurate and efficient compared to traditional methods.
Sterilization Tracking: Municipal Commissioner Anindita Mitra highlighted that the chips can also be used to track sterilization efforts. By scanning the chip, officials can confirm if a particular dog has already been sterilized by contractors.
Pilot Project with 1,000 Microchips
The initial microchipping program will launch as a pilot project slotting 1,000 microchips. Subsequent enrollment phases will give officials a chance to gauge the usefulness of the program before they can decide whether it should be enlarged in scale. The cost for this pilot is estimated to be around 5 lakh rupees (approximately $6,600 USD).
Additional Methods Used
The microchipping program is one of several strategies Chandigarh is using to manage its stray dog population. Another method involves capturing images of the dogs using artificial intelligence (AI). This will likely be used to further supplement the data collected through microchips.
Concerns and Previous Efforts
While some officials are enthusiastic about the program, there are some concerns. Being a new idea, senior BJP councillor Mahesh Inder Singh Sidhu voiced scepticism on the efficacy of microchipping pets.
Over time, there has been an ongoing challenge in Chandigarh regarding managing the population of stray dogs in the city. Even though the city is said to have stridently been sterilizing dogs to deter them from being aggressive toward people, there is still a concern about dog bites from community members. Information reveals that in only the last two years, over Rs 1.26 crore (about $165,000 USD) has been spent on sterilizing efforts.
This new microchipping program is another step Chandigarh is taking to improve stray dog management and potentially reduce dog bite incidents. The pilot project will provide valuable data to determine the long-term viability of this approach.
