CHENNAI: Residents of North Chennai, particularly in Durgai Avenue in Selavayal, and also those living in Chinnanimadam, Muthamizh Nagar and Kodungaiyur, alleged that aggressive dogs have been causing panic among motorists and pedestrians.
At least two dog-bite incidents had been reported in the last one week, and so, residents sought immediate intervention from the Corporation.
Residents of Durgai Avenue accused the civic body of not relocating sterilised stray dogs in the locality. “More than 30 dogs camp at specific spots at night and roam across Durgai Avenue and nearby streets. Most of them do not have collars,” said LM Jai Ganesh, civic activist and resident of Muthamizh Nagar in Kodungaiyur. “We’ve found it difficult to return home at night and motorists struggled to navigate the streets because of packs of dogs.”
The situation turned serious last week on Nethaji Street in Selavayal, Ward 35, where two persons were bitten by stray dogs. “In one incident, a six-year-old boy was bitten two weeks ago,” said Vimal, a resident of Selavayal.
Apart from physical attacks, residents said they were losing sleep because dogs barked through the night and chased two-wheelers after dark. Residents alleged that dogs often chased motorcycles at high speed, increasing the risk of road accidents.
Responding to the allegations, GCC Veterinary Officer J Kamal Hussain said, “Veterinary officials inspected the locality and found that many dogs had already been sterilised. Efforts will be taken to sterilise the remaining stray dogs in the locality,” he said.
Explaining the sterilisation process, he said that stray dogs were fitted with barcode collars after sterilisation. “Over time, the collars are often torn off during fights among dogs. Sterilised dogs can also be identified through a V-shaped cut on the ear,” he added. “The GCC will carry out a sustained mass vaccination drive from August 2026, similar to the campaign conducted last year.”
According to GCC data, 88,240 stray dogs have been sterilised and vaccinated since 2021. Last year, over 1.47 lakh stray dogs were vaccinated as part of a mass vaccination drive. The civic body is also sterilising around 150 stray dogs at its 11 Animal Birth Control centres.