Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Jun 7: A total of 53,384 stray dogs have been identified across all 60 wards under the jurisdiction of Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC), according to a report submitted by the Worldwide Veterinary Services (WVS). The enumeration was conducted simultaneously across the city using a mobile application developed by WVS.

The survey was a joint effort by the MCC, WVS, Animal Care Trust, and the department of animal husbandry and veterinary services. The enumeration was carried out over five days in each ward starting from February 10 till April end with volunteers using GPS-enabled mobile devices to record stray dog sightings while travelling on two-wheelers through mapped roads and alleys.

Representational image

Volunteers logged detailed information such as the number of dogs in specific areas, how many had undergone sterilization, how many had not, the number of lactating females, and their pups. On the following day, the same locations were revisited to verify the presence or absence of previously recorded dogs.

Among the 60 wards, the highest average number of stray dogs was found in Baikampady (Ward 10), while Bajal (Ward 53) reported the lowest numbers.

The survey revealed that only 46% of the stray dog population within MCC limits had undergone sterilization. Wards such as Derebail South (Ward 24), Mannagudda (Ward 28), Kambla (Ward 29), and Cantonment (Ward 46) reported more than 70% of stray dogs as sterilized.

On the other hand, wards like Kunjathbail (Ward 13), Bajal (Ward 53), Jeppinamogaru (Ward 54), Attavar (Ward 55), and Jeppu (Ward 59) recorded less than 20% sterilization rates among their stray dog populations.