Jamshedpur: To address rise in population of stray dogs and curb dog bite incidents, East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Rajiv Ranjan has ordered municipal bodies to construct dedicated animal shelters.He instructed officials to identify appropriate locations and start the process to house stray animals. “Sheltering stray dogs and conducting sterilisation drives will help build a rabies-free society,” the DC said.The directive applies to the Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC), Mango Municipal Corporation (MMC) and Jugsalai Municipal Council (JMC) within the urban circle, as well as the suburban Chakulia Nagar Panchayat (CNP).JNAC runs a small animal shelter in Sidhgora. While MMC selected a site for a shelter in Baliguma along NH-33 in 2025, work is yet to be started. On the other hand, the Jugsalai and Chakulia civic bodies have not initiated any project.Jamshedpur is currently witnessing a rise in dog bite incidents, with the stray population estimated between 28,000 and 30,000.Health department statistics show that more than 3,000 dog bite cases were recorded in April and May.“All hospitals, including community health centres (CHCs) and public health centres (PHCs), have been instructed to keep adequate stocks of anti-rabies vaccine. The health department will supply extra stocks if shortages occur,” said civil surgeon Dr Sahir Pall.Records show that 8,900 stray dogs were sterilised between 2023 and 2025.Tata Steel Utilities and Infrastructure Services Ltd (TSUISL), responsible for urban sterilisation in its command area, operates on 15 to 17 dogs each day before releasing them back into their original neighbourhoods. JNAC authorities sterilise 10 dogs on an average daily.Veterinarians point to several factors causing the rise in canine aggression. “Intense heat makes stray dogs irritable and triggers aggressive tendencies,” said JNAC veterinarian Dr Sagar Hansda.He added, “Constant exposure to loud honking further heightens their distress, while a lack of food, clean water and human compassion worsens the problem.”
