In a bid to curb the number of community dogs, the Tiruchi City Corporation has earmarked space to set up three more animal birth control (ABC) centres in the city.
As the residents had been complaining of proliferation of dogs in areas such as K.K. Nagar, Khajamalai, Palakkarai, Karumandapam, Woraiyur, Gandhi Market, and Thennur, the civic body planned to step up the sterilisation process. “We have been receiving several complaints that the number of dogs in the city is increasing, and we require at least two facilities in each zone to control it,” said a health official.
A sum of ₹3 crore has been allocated to set up six more ABCs in the city. If this plan materialises, the number of such facilities in the city will rise to 10.
The officials have earmarked two plots at Kattur in Tiruverumbur zone and one at Kottapattu in Ponmalai zone for the construction of the centres. The civic body is considering a few more places in other zones. Each ABC will have the capacity to sterilise around 30 dogs a day, the official added.
At present, Tiruchi has four ABCs at Ambedkar Nagar in Srirangam zone, Konakkarai in Abishekapuram zone, J.J. Nagar in Ponmalai zone and one near the dump yard in Ariyamangalam zone. Each centre is staffed with four dog catchers and a veterinary surgeon and equipped with a dog-catching vehicle.
Recently, the number of dogs roaming the streets was estimated at 20,000. Officials said the number would drastically fall in the next two years as the pace of sterilisation drive had gained momentum.
According to sources, the pace of sterilisation had picked up considerably in the past year. As many as 9,559 dogs have been sterilised between April 2023 and March 2024, with an ear notch made to indicate that the animal had undergone the procedure.
