MCD plans shelters helpline as 10 000 stray dogs sterilised every month

New Delhi, Aug 14 (PTI) The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will build dog shelters in all 12 civic zones and launch a dedicated helpline for residents to report stray animals, as part of a stepped-up plan to address the issue of stray dogs in the capital.
    On average 10,000 dogs are being sterilised and vaccinated every month, officials said.
    The Supreme Court, which is hearing challenges to an earlier order directing the relocation of strays to shelters, has reserved its verdict. On Thursday, the bench remarked that the "whole problem" relating to stray dogs in Delhi-NCR was a result of "inaction" on the part of local authorities which did "nothing".
    Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh said earlier that the civic body is committed to implementing the Supreme Court’s order to shift stray dogs to shelters while ensuring humane treatment.
    “We will do everything possible to address this problem. At the same time, we are also concerned about the welfare of animals,” he said.
    Standing Committee Chairperson Satya Sharma said the shelter plan is underway but land allocation remains a challenge.
    “The helpline will allow residents to inform the MCD about stray dogs, after which civic teams will pick them up,” she said, adding that more NGOs are being brought in to speed up sterilisation and vaccination.
    According to the MCD data, 26,334 dog bite cases have been recorded so far in 2025 — 9,920 at MCD hospitals and 15,010 at its anti-rabies vaccination (ARV) centres.
    The civic body currently has 5,471 ARV doses and 3,736 anti-rabies serum (ARS) doses in stock. In 2024, there were 68,090 dog bite cases in total.
    Between January 25 and June 25 this year, more than 65,000 stray dogs were sterilised and vaccinated. The MCD projects nearly 98,000 will be covered between April 2024 and December 2025, following 79,959 in 2023–24 and 59,076 in 2022–23.
    Twenty sterilisation centres are currently operational in Delhi, managed by registered NGOs under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) guidelines, which require the animals to be returned to their original locations post procedure.
    The MCD says its expanded sterilisation drive, new shelter facilities and helpline will form the backbone of a long-term strategy to control the stray dog population while safeguarding public health.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)