53,000 strays vaccinated as part of anti-rabies drive in Chennai

CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has made a milestone in the rabies vaccination drive, by administering more than 53,000 rabies vaccinations to stray dogs in the city, and has targeted to vaccinate one lakh stray dogs by the end of November.

According to a census by the civic body, there are over 1.8 lakh stray dogs in the city. The intensive vaccination efforts are a direct response to the increasing number of stray dog and pet dog bite incidents in the city

“In addition to vaccinations, the GCC is also implanting microchips in sterilized dogs. So far, 12,580 street dogs have been fitted with microchips. This initiative helps in monitoring and managing the dog population effectively,” added the official.

Chennai Mayor R Priya launched the vaccination drive on August 9, aiming to make the city rabies-free with the help of volunteer teams. A volunteer team consists of eight members, including a veterinary staff, an app handler, dogcatchers, and a driver. They visit different zones to administer the rabies vaccine to dogs. This approach aims to ensure to cover the drive across the city.

Also, the Chennai corporation floated a tender of Rs 7.67 crore to construct shelters for rabies-affected dogs in Madhavaram and Velachery. Each shelter can accommodate 250 dogs. After the completion, shelters will be handed over to an NGO for maintenance.