Ranchi: In a bid to tackle the growing stray dog population and curb dog bite incidents in the city, Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has floated a tender to build a 50-kennel animal birth control (ABC) centre at Bargai in ward 4. The Rs 2.05-crore facility will nearly quadruple the civic body’s additional capacity for treating and sterilising strays.Ranchi’s stray dog population has been officially estimated at around 34,000. At present, the city’s animal hospital has only 15 kennels, limiting the number of dogs that can be treated or neutered at a time.“The new centre will increase the total capacity to 65. Thus, more dogs will be treated and neutered in one go,” RMC assistant health officer Dr Kiran Kumari said.A one-acre plot has been earmarked for the project. While the ABC centre will come up on 20 decimals, the remaining land will be developed as a shelter for aggressive strays and dogs requiring observation.The shelter will have separate enclosures for aggressive and non-aggressive dogs, besides an isolation ward for animals suspected to be infected with rabies or other diseases. Separate cooking and feeding areas will also be created, with qualified staff deployed to manage the facility.Stray dogs picked up from railway stations, bus terminals and residential areas following complaints are likely to be housed at the shelter. The move is aimed at reducing the risk of attacks while ensuring that animals are not released without assessment.Renovation of RMC’s existing animal hospital in Chutia is nearing completion and the facility is expected to be handed over within 10 days. The upgrade includes modernised operation theatres, reconstructed kennels and improved flooring.The civic body is also establishing designated feeding zones for strays across all wards. Fifteen such zones are already operational, though implementation has slowed in some areas because of opposition from residents who fear that concentrated feeding may increase dog bite risks. RMC is exploring alternative sites in these wards.
