Pune: PMC Starts Pilot Project To Implant RFID Microchips In Stray Dogs For Better Tracking And Health Monitoring
Pune: PMC Starts Pilot Project To Implant RFID Microchips In Stray Dogs For Better Tracking And Health Monitoring
Pune, November 26, 2025: The Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) veterinary department has initiated a pilot initiative to implant RFID microchips in stray dogs, aiming to build a comprehensive digital record for each animal. The move is expected to help the civic body track vaccination cycles, sterilisation status, movement patterns, and basic details such as age, gender, and colour.
With an estimated stray dog population of nearly 2.25 lakh, maintaining accurate records has long been a challenge for the corporation. Earlier, PMC experimented with collar belts fitted with chips; however, the belts were often damaged or removed by the dogs, making the approach ineffective.
Under the new system, a tiny RFID microchip—roughly the size of a grain of rice—is injected beneath the skin on the upper neck. Each chip contains a unique 15-digit identification number, which can be scanned and updated using a mobile application. A private agency has been assigned to conduct the implants during the trial period.
So far, 15 of the 600 shortlisted dogs have received the microchip. After approximately six weeks, PMC officials will conduct a follow-up inspection to ensure the devices are functioning correctly and to monitor any health concerns.
According to PMC, the project will be expanded only if the pilot phase produces positive and safe results. She noted that the microchip system enables efficient record-keeping and allows authorities to locate specific dogs whenever required.
If the trial succeeds, PMC aims to use the technology to build an accurate digital registry of stray animals, streamline sterilisation and vaccination drives, and improve citywide monitoring of stray dog populations.
