Chennai: Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) plans to ramp up street dog sterilisation surgeries from the current 200 a day to 350–400 a day and achieve 100% anti-rabies vaccination coverage for both street and pet dogs.As part of its intensified measures to control the stray dog population and improve public safety, Municipal Administration and Water Supply department secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi has directed GCC to increase the sterilisation capacity and add more centres in the city.“Instructions have been given to add one sterilisation centre in one GCC zone, each with a capacity to sterilise 20-25 dogs. By mid-2027, GCC will have 15 centres. Necessary veterinary doctors too will be hired,” an official said.According to GCC estimates, Chennai has around 1.8 lakh street dogs. Through intensive anti-rabies vaccination drives across all 15 zones, the corporation has so far vaccinated 1.68 lakh street dogs. In addition, 71,388 pet animals have received anti-rabies vaccination, been microchipped and issued licences.Officials said the Pulianthope facility currently performs sterilisation surgeries for an average of 35 dogs a day and provides treatment for around 25 pet animals daily. The MAWS secretary inspected the functioning of the centre in Pulianthope, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zone,.At present, GCC operates 10 dog birth control centres across Pulianthope, Lloyds Colony, Kannammapet, Meenambakkam, Sholinganallur, Chettimedu in Manali zone, Tiruvottiyur, Madhavaram, Chettimedu in Tondiarpet zone and Kannappar Thidal.The existing dog birth control centre at Perungudi is temporarily functioning as a shelter for diseased dogs. “GCC is also creating dedicated shelters with capacity for 250 diseased dogs each at Manali and Perungudi,” the official added.
