Dharwad: With dog-bite incidents on the rise, ZP CEO Bhuvanesh Patil, who is also the in-charge deputy commissioner has stressed the need for urgent, coordinated measures to control stray dog populations, giving top priority to animal birth control (ABC) and anti-rabies programmes.Presiding over a review meeting of the district monitoring committee on the implementation of the ABC and anti-rabies vaccination programme at the ZP, Patil said local bodies and concerned departments must take proactive steps to prevent dog-bite cases and ensure public safety. He also directed officials to organise awareness programmes on preventive measures and first aid to be followed after dog bites.
Under the ABC programme, responsibility for implementation lies with urban local bodies. A scientific survey or estimation based on population norms must be conducted to assess the stray dog population, and plans should be drawn up to sterilise at least 50% of them, he said. Local bodies were instructed to establish ABC centres with kennel facilities and operation theatres, either by engaging Animal Welfare Board of India–recognised NGOs or, in their absence, by utilising govt veterinary doctors through the animal husbandry department.The ABC protocol includes capturing stray dogs, sterilisation surgery, post-operative care for three to four days, anti-rabies vaccination, and releasing them back into their original locations. The cost per dog, approximately Rs 1,650, must be borne by the respective local bodies from their own funds, Patil clarified. Patil said Dharwad reported 13,433 dog-bite cases in 2025, while 1,552 cases were recorded between Jan and Feb 2, 2026. No confirmed rabies deaths were reported in the district between 2022 and 2025, though one suspected case was reported in Dec 2025 and is under medical verification.
