Rabies-Free: PMC Contemplates New Methods to Tag Vaccinated Dogs in Pune
Rabies-Free: PMC Contemplates New Methods to Tag Vaccinated Dogs in Pune
The PMC is planning a mass vaccination drive to administer anti-rabies dose to all strays.
30 April 2024
Yesterday, the veterinary department of Pune Municipal Corporation had a meeting to discuss the possibility of tagging dogs with microchips in an attempt to ascertain the steps of their Rabies Free City program.
Dr. Sarika Funde shed light on the details of the plan and said, “We will arrange teams and do mass vaccination of dogs first, then tag them.” She added whether they’d tag the dogs with microchips or normally, as has been happening, has not been finalised yet.
Earlier, an official had explained the working of the microchips and told Pune Mirror that the use of this new technology will help them keep track of the dog population and orchestrate a survey in areas that have been newly added to the domain of the PMC.
According to the census carried out by the civic body in May 2023, there has been a gross fall in the population of stray dogs. The population declined from 3,15,000 in 2018 to 1,79,940 in 2023, which amounts to a 42.87% reduction in the number of strays. Albeit the population over the years has fallen, the instances of dog bites have only increased in recent times.
Some residents have also expressed their concerns regarding the same. Pruthviraj Patil, who is a dog parent, says that he is very fond of dogs, yet there is a stray dog upheaval in the city which needs to be tamed. Another Punekar, Nikita Shah, who resides in Balewadi has expressed her hopes in the PMC implementing the microchipping plan at the earliest.
Dr. Funde discussed the PMC’s smaller initiatives to vaccinate dogs and said, “We are carrying out smaller vaccination operations, in the sense that, if we find a rabid dog in a particular area we try to vaccinate all dogs of that area.”
“Although herd immunity to the virus will only come after mass vaccination takes place,” she added and also spoke about the ongoing discussions with several animal welfare NGOs to come up with a substantial and efficacious plan of action concerning mass vaccination.
Along with all of this, Dr. Funde informed that those who are at high risk of getting bitten by dogs (such as dog catchers) will be given a precautionary dose of anti-rabies vaccine.
Currently training is underway to gear up in order to achieve the aim of a Rabies free City.
