Srinagar, May 7: Dog sterilization efforts will be doubled in Srinagar as newly established sterilization centers are set to commence operations in the city, announced Owais Ahmad, Commissioner of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, on Tuesday.
Ahmad stated that the current capacity to sterilize 70–100 dogs will soon be doubled. Last year, approximately 5,000 dogs underwent sterilization, a figure that is expected to double this year. The process was temporarily halted during winter but is slated to resume soon. Winter poses challenges as healing takes longer, necessitating a pause in operations.
The issue of stray dogs has been a significant concern in Srinagar, with hundreds of dog bite cases reported every month. District Srinagar reported the highest number of bite cases last year to the Anti-Rabies Clinic (ARC) at SMHS Hospital. According to data, the district recorded 6,519 cases of bites inflicted by stray dogs, rabid animals, and other wild creatures, with bites inflicted by the latter largely reported from other districts.
In March alone this year, Srinagar reported 912 such cases, the highest since April of the previous year. Additionally, 542 cases were reported in February, 493 in January, and 480 in December. Recently, there has been a noticeable surge in dog bite cases in Srinagar. According to the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), an estimated over 90,000 stray dogs roam the streets, posing a risk to residents of all ages.
Several factors contribute to the unchecked growth of the stray dog population in Kashmir. Notably, the accumulation of garbage and poultry waste on the streets has become a breeding ground for dogs. The daily generation of over 600 metric tonnes of garbage and the slaughter of 100,000 poultry birds in the city, resulting in 50,000 kg of poultry offal daily, create an environment conducive to the rapid reproduction of dogs. The availability of offal and leftover food in garbage exacerbates the problem, with five to ten thousand breeding females adding approximately five puppies each year to the dog population.”
