CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government aims to achieve its target of controlling the stray dog population by the end of this year, even as officials continue implementing sterilisation and anti-rabies vaccination drives across the State.
According to a Daily Thanthi report, 4.6 lakh people have been affected by dog bites and 24 people have died in the first seven months of this year. In the corresponding period last year, 6 lakh people were affected and 34 deaths were reported.
Officials said Salem recorded the highest number of dog bite cases at 28,000, followed by Tirunelveli with 23,000 and Thiruvallur with 19,000. Around 20,000 people were affected in both Thanjavur and Coimbatore districts.
The Public Health Department has advised people to complete the four dose rabies vaccination schedule after a dog bite.
A senior government official said the issue was being reviewed every week with district collectors and that Tamil Nadu was following all directions issued by the Supreme Court.
Between January 24 and July 26, Animal Birth Control (ABC) surgeries were performed on 3,38,135 dogs across Tamil Nadu, including 52,226 in Chennai. Officials said this was the highest number of such surgeries carried out.
From January to July this year, 1,68,878 dogs have been vaccinated, and all stray dogs in the State are planned to be vaccinated by the end of the year.
According to the 2024 census, Chennai has around 1.81 lakh stray dogs, including 3,544 found near schools and colleges.
The Greater Chennai Corporation currently operates stray dog sterilisation centres at 11 locations, including Pulianthope, Kanniammapettai, Meenambakkam, Sholinganallur, Tiruvottiyur, Madhavaram, Kannappar Thidal, Perungudi and Lloyds Colony.
Officials said the city currently sterilises 100 to 110 dogs a day and plans to increase the number to 350 daily.
Meanwhile, four additional Animal Birth Control centres will be opened at Ambattur, Alandur, Perungudi and Sholinganallur.
Quarantine centres for aggressive dogs are also being established at Manali and Perungudi and are expected to become operational within the next two months.
Officials said improper garbage disposal continued to attract stray dogs, contributing to attacks. Chennai has 3,204 residential complexes generating large volumes of waste.
The government said fines ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000 are being imposed for violations of waste disposal norms.