GCC to vaccinate 1L dogs against rabies
The civic body aims to vaccinate an average of 3,000 dogs a day across the city. Until now, only sterilized stray dogs were routinely immunised through animal birth control (ABC) centres . With this special drive, GCC plans to widen coverage to include unsterilised stray and pet dogs to break the chain of rabies transmission.
"To ensure Chennai is free from rabies, several measures have been taken, including sterilization and vaccination.
A recent survey revealed that over 1.8 lakh stray dogs live in the city. So far, only sterilised dogs at ABC centres have been vaccinated. We aim to immunize the remaining stray dogs through this special mass vaccination camp starting Aug 7 (Thursday)," said J Kamal Hussain, veterinary officer, GCC.
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The corporation will begin the drive in three zones , eventually expanding to all other zones. Ten trained teams will carry out the vaccinations, with each team expected to vaccinate at least 100 dogs a day.
Kamal added, "The rabies vaccination will also include protection against four other major diseases — canine distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus, and leptospirosis. Additionally, Endectoparasiticide will help prevent ticks and other parasite infections in dogs. We expect to vaccinate at least one lakh dogs through this special camp." Notably, the city records an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 dog bite cases annually.
During a recent monthly council meeting, ward councillors urged Corporation officials to regularize the administration of anti-rabies vaccines for stray dogs, citing the surge in their population.
"Sterilization alone is not enough and does not prevent dog bites. After surgery, dogs are released back into the same areas, posing a threat to the public. Many stray dogs remain unvaccinated. Authorities must ensure strict implementation of these measures," said Fathima Ahamed, councillor of ward 61.
Animal lovers have welcomed the move to vaccinate dogs after a long gap. "If the vaccination camp had been conducted earlier, a wider range of dogs could have been covered. Vaccinating both stray and pet dogs will help reduce human-animal conflict," said Arun Prasanna, an animal activist.
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