T’puram: City corporation stepped up efforts to relocate around 245 street dogs to identified shelter homes as part of an intensified drive to tackle the city’s growing stray dog issue while ensuring the welfare of the animals.The decision was taken by corporation’s health standing committee, marking the beginning of implementation phase of the project. The civic body has identified multiple facilities, including animal birth control (ABC) centres at Vandithadam and Pettah, a shelter home at Poovar and two additional shelter facilities in the district to accommodate the dogs.While the corporation finalised the shelter locations, officials have chosen not to disclose all the sites at present, citing administrative reasons. The selected shelters will house aggressive, abandoned, injured, and other identified street dogs that require long-term care and management.As part of the initiative, the civic body invited expressions of interest (EOI) from agencies to operate and manage the shelters. The evaluation process has been completed, and an agency has been selected. Corporation is expected to sign an agreement with the agency shortly, after which the relocation of the identified dogs will commence.Mayor V V Rajesh said the civic body has already set the implementation process in motion.“Corporation has initiated all necessary procedures to implement the project without delay. We have sped up shifting street dogs to shelter homes to ensure scientific management of the stray dog population while addressing public safety concerns. Our objective is to prevent further conflicts and establish a sustainable system for the care and management of street dogs in the city,” he said.A senior corporation official said the initiative is aimed at striking a balance between public safety and animal welfare.“The agency has been finalised, and the agreement will be executed soon. Once the facilities become operational, around 245 identified street dogs will be shifted to designated shelters. The project is intended to ensure proper care for the animals while reducing the risk of stray dog-related incidents in the city,” the official said.The move comes amid increasing public concern over stray dog attacks in the state capital. Residents’ associations and elected representatives have repeatedly urged the corporation to adopt stronger measures to address the issue, while animal welfare organizations have maintained that sterilization, vaccination and scientific management remain the only long-term solutions under the ABC Rules.Corporation officials said shelter homes would primarily accommodate dogs that require prolonged care, including abandoned, injured and selected aggressive animals, in accordance with applicable regulations.They added that the shelter home initiative will complement the ongoing ABC programme and help establish a more structured mechanism for managing the city’s stray dog population while addressing growing public safety concerns.
