Street dog population in Pune declines; find out more
Maharashtra records highest dog bites in India in 2023 ; reveals report (representational image)
By: Pune Pulse
November 1, 2023
Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has informed that the street dog population in Pune city has declined by over 42%.
As per further information shared by Dr Sarika Funde, Veterinary Superintendent, PMC, the incidence of rabies and the number of street dogs in Pune, Maharashtra, have significantly decreased over the last five years i.e. from 2018 to 2023.
Experts attributed this decline to two main factors: rabies vaccination and routine feeding by caregivers, which facilitates the capture of dogs for the Animal Birth Control (ABC) program by authorities and non-governmental organizations.
After being high at 3.15 lakh in 2018, Pune’s estimated community dog population dropped to 1.79 lakh in 2023 – a significant 42.87% decline.
There has been a notable decline in both the number of stray dogs and the incidence of canine rabies.
Between 2018 and 2020, there were over 200 cases reported annually; however, between 2021 and 2022, there were less than 71 cases reported annually.
As was done in Pune, experts in the field recommend ABC, sterilization, and vaccination of community dogs as very effective ways to control and lower their population.
Shreyas Vange
