Chennai: Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has increased stray dog sterilisation surgeries from around 1,500 to 3,500 over the past four months after 10 new animal birth control (ABC) centres came up across the city, in addition to the existing six.These centres help control the stray dog population with intensified sterilisation and vaccination drives. The city recorded more than 5,000 dog bite cases and two rabies deaths in the past four months. Chennai records 25,000 to 30,000 dog bite cases annually. “Five more centres will be ready by June, and the number of sterilisations is expected to cross 4,000 a month,” said GCC veterinary officer Dr J Kamal Hussain.According to GCC data, a total of 13,760 stray dogs were caught between Jan and May 16, of which 11,974 underwent ABC surgeries. The numbers show a steady rise in operations through the months, with 1,751 dogs caught and 1,490 surgeries performed in Jan, increasing to 3,805 dogs caught and 3,259 surgeries in April. In the first half of May, it caught 2,000 dogs and carried out 1,674 sterilisation surgeries. It also added a fleet of 24 vehicles to transport rabies-affected dogs.
