Chennai to establish shelters for stray dogs

Chennai will soon set up shelters for stray dogs under a new initiative called Vallalar Biodiverse Shelters. The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) plans to work with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to manage these shelters. GCC commissioner J Kumaragurubaran mentioned that the corporation will provide funding and necessary medicines for the dogs. NGOs will be responsible for running the shelters, identifying dogs, and ensuring they are sterilized and vaccinated. This program was launched by Chief Minister M K Stalin to support injured and abandoned animals. The government has allocated 20 crore for the initiative. It was first announced in the 2022-23 state budget to honor the 200th birth anniversary of Vallalar, a saint known for his kindness to all living beings. The initiative will also include rabies vaccination and emergency medical care for animals, which will be provided through the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Additionally, ambulances for rescue operations will be available. Animal welfare advocates believe this plan is necessary. Arun Prasanna from People for Cattle in India said GCC staff may lack the resources to maintain the shelters completely. He emphasized that NGOs could help fill this gap and that it is unrealistic for GCC to vaccinate all 1.8 lakh dogs in the city. Effective sterilization campaigns could potentially reduce dog bite incidents. Congress MP Karti Chidambaram recently raised concerns about the increasing stray dog population in Chennai, highlighting a GCC survey from September 2024 that counted 1.81 lakh stray dogs. This number is significantly higher than the 58,000 recorded in 2018. He noted that only 27% of these dogs have been sterilized, which allows the population to grow unchecked, leading to more dog attacks. Chidambaram also pointed out that some areas have sterilization rates as low as 2%. He criticized GCC for not taking sufficient action, which has led to safety concerns and public complaints. The number of dog bite cases in Tamil Nadu has risen sharply from 3.3 lakh in 2022 to 6.41 lakh in 2024, making it the second-highest in the country.