BBMP has just one dog van to catch strays

BBMP has just one dog van to catch strays

Shwetha S. Bangalore

Even as stray dogs may be stalking the city roads and attacking children, the BBMP's ambitious Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme to check their menace has run into trouble.
The NGOs, assigned to execute the programme, are awaiting the civic body to finalise the tenders. While the civic body is offering Rs445 for an operation on a dog, the NGOs are demanding Rs600.
Five animal welfare organisations were involved in the ABC programme till two months back. The BBMP is thus left with one dog van to catch 183,758 strays in the city.
BBMP deputy director for animal husbandry Dr Parameshwar said "The civic body is receiving 15 to 20 complaints of dog bites everyday. But it is difficult to address them with a lone dog van. If the NGOs remain adamant, we will call for a new tender."
Fot attending one case of dog bite, it could consume days for the team as the area of occurrence may be far away.
There are only six dog catchers who work with the BBMP. Their working hours are from 8:30am to 1:30pm. They are not provided with walkie-talkies or mobile phones.
But the BBMP is planning to acquire eight dog catching vans.
"These vans will be deployed in all the eight zones of the city. They will remain in operation even after the NGOs start working with us. These will only help in executing the ABC in a more efficient way," Parameshwar said.
This month-end, a team of dog catchers led by the founder of Animal Health Foundation, Rahul Sehgal, will be arriving in the city.
Segal was instrumental in coordinating the ABC programme with BBMP held between April and September. The programme, which covered 5020 dogs across the city in five zones, was a great success.