The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has launched a comprehensive stray dog census across all 67 wards of the city.
The initiative aims to gather accurate data on the street dog population to enhance animal birth control programs and reduce the spread of diseases like rabies.
The census is being conducted daily between 5 AM and 7 AM—when stray dogs are most visible in residential areas. A total of 410 teams, including veterinarians, civic officials, Swachh Sathis, sanitation workers, and supervisors, have been mobilized to carry out the survey in two phases.
BMC officials stated that the data will help determine population density, identify hotspots, and design targeted interventions for dog health and safety. Mayor Sulochana Das has urged citizens to cooperate with enumerators during the survey to ensure its success.
This initiative marks a significant step toward humane and data-driven management of stray animals in urban Odisha.
