Mumbai Grapples with Crisis: Only 8 Shelters for Over 90,000 Stray Dogs
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In a stark revelation, Mumbai civic officials have revealed that there are only eight shelters in the city to accommodate over 90,000 stray dogs. This number is a far cry from the Supreme Court's directive to relocate stray canines to designated shelters after sterilization and vaccination. The Supreme Court's order on Friday came in response to the alarming rise in dog bite cases in institutional areas, railway stations, hospitals, and other public places. The court noted that the frequent incidents reflect not only administrative apathy but also a systemic failure to secure these premises from preventable hazards. To implement the court's order, the city needs to set up more shelters to accommodate the remaining stray dogs. According to a census conducted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in 2012, there were at least 95,752 stray dogs in Mumbai. Although the number has dropped by around 5,000 since the animal birth control (ABC) programme was implemented in 2014, the current stray dog population stands at 90,600. Civic officials have noted that the city will first need to enhance its capacity to remove stray dogs and shift them to shelters for the remaining part of their lives. The average lifespan of a dog is between 12 and 15 years. According to the Supreme Court's directive, the dogs will be sterilized and then shifted to a shelter where a dog handler and veterinarian will be appointed, along with making arrangements for their food and water. The BMC has estimated that even if 30 to 40 per cent of the stray dogs in Mumbai are removed from public places, shelters will be required to accommodate around 40,000 such dogs. Given the growth rate of dogs, the BMC has implemented an animal birth control programme to address the issue. As the city grapples with this crisis, civic officials are working to enhance the capacity of shelters and implement the Supreme Court's directive to relocate stray canines to designated shelters.
