Pune: PMC to Launch Five New Dog Shelters by December, Capacity to House Over 10,000 Stray Dogs
Pune: PMC Designates 88 Locations For Regulated Feeding Of Stray Dogs
Pune, December 9, 2025: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is set to expand its animal welfare infrastructure with the establishment of five new dog shelters by the end of December. These facilities will collectively accommodate more than 10,000 stray dogs, marking the city’s first major step toward structured stray animal management.
According to officials, three smaller shelters — located at Naidu, Baner and Mundhwa — will together house around 200 canines and will primarily handle the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme. Meanwhile, two large-scale shelters at Bhugaon and Shindewadi will each be equipped to care for up to 5,000 stray dogs.
According to PMC, the first three centres will begin operations immediately and will focus on sterilisation and vaccination. After the procedures, the dogs will be relocated to areas different from where they were picked up, in line with established guidelines.
All five shelters will be fully functional by the end of 2025. The civic body plans to set up 20 additional shelters across the city, with an estimated cost exceeding ₹20 crore. A formal proposal for the project will soon be placed before the municipal commissioner.
Pune is estimated to have over three lakh stray dogs, yet the city currently lacks a single dedicated shelter. PMC officials said scaling up infrastructure is essential, but emphasised that long-term success will depend on steady funding, skilled manpower and coordinated implementation.
The move also aligns with recent Supreme Court directives issued on November 24, which require local authorities to immediately capture, sterilise and vaccinate strays found near sensitive public spaces such as schools, hospitals, bus stations, sports complexes and railway premises, and to release them at different locations post-procedure.
