SC stray dog order implemented across Ahmedabad; AMC covers 1,050 sites under compliance drive

Ahmedabad: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has implemented a structured framework to comply with Supreme Court directions on management of stray dogs in public spaces, focussing on educational institutions, health facilities, sports complexes, bus stations and railway stations, while balancing operational constraints in shelter capacity and animal welfare rules.

Speaking to IANS, Cattle Nuisance Control Department (CNCD)’s Head of Department, Naresh Rajput, confirmed that around 1,050 locations across these five categories have been identified and surveyed under the directive framework.

“These include educational institutes, healthcare facilities, sports complexes, bus depots and railway stations, all of which fall under a Supreme Court-defined category of public spaces requiring preventive dog management measures,” he said.

The Supreme Court’s directives, as implemented by AMC, require institutions to prevent entry of stray dogs through fencing, boundary strengthening, controlled waste disposal and appointment of nodal officers responsible for monitoring and compliance.

Rajput said each institution has been assigned a nodal officer who is responsible for ensuring that dogs do not enter premises and that food waste is properly managed to avoid attracting strays.

He stated that “the nodal officer is responsible for ensuring that no dog enters from outside, that security guards are sensitised, and that boundary walls are secured so dogs cannot jump in.”

Institutions have also been instructed to ensure proper waste disposal systems and avoid open food dumping, which contributes to stray congregation.

AMC officials confirmed that periodic inspections are conducted, during which teams verify whether sterilised and unsterilised dogs are present within campuses.

Unsterilised dogs identified in institutional areas are captured and sent for sterilisation, while aggressive or biting dogs are transferred to shelters for observation and treatment.

“Approximately 48 dogs have been removed from such institutional settings so far under this category-based intervention,” he said.

The institutional survey also recorded that approximately 5,000 to 5,500 stray dogs are distributed across identified campuses, with averages ranging from two to three dogs per campus, and higher numbers in larger open institutions where counts may reach up to 10.

AMC clarified that the institutional dog population is part of the broader urban stray population estimated at over two lakh dogs in the city, first assessed in earlier surveys conducted in 2019.

The current scientific census aims to update these figures using GPS-enabled mobile applications and ward-wise mapping.

Rajput said AMC’s approach is constrained by shelter capacity, which currently stands at approximately 480-550 dogs across various facilities.

He noted that this capacity is expected to increase to around 1,180 dogs by the end of the expansion cycle, as new shelters are being developed at Naroda, Vastral and Lambha, each with capacity of around 200 dogs.

The department also maintains separate shelter categories for different animal conditions, including animal birth control centres, sick dog shelters, aggressive dog shelters and community dog shelters.

Officials stated that this categorisation is unique compared to other municipal corporations in India.

Rajput said that while Supreme Court directions emphasise removal of stray dogs from public institutions, implementation is balanced with operational feasibility and Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, which require sterilisation and controlled release after medical procedures.

He said, “We work within capacity constraints. It is not practically possible to remove all dogs, so we prioritise biting and aggressive cases.”

AMC data indicates that approximately 84 aggressive dogs are currently housed in shelters for behavioural assessment.

The municipal corporation has also implemented a dog bite management system, where complaints trigger on-site verification by a team comprising a veterinary doctor, sanitary inspector and animal catcher.

The team identifies the dog involved, checks vaccination history and determines whether the animal requires capture or treatment.

“Institutions are also part of broader Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaigns, where awareness drives on rabies prevention, animal behaviour and safe human-animal interaction are conducted through schools, colleges, LED displays and public outreach programmes,” he said.

He added that the institutional framework is not limited to enforcement but includes training and capacity building of staff working in dog capture, shelter management and veterinary care, alongside regular vaccination of workers exposed to animals, in line with zoonotic disease prevention protocols.

The AMC stated that fines ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 may be imposed under public health by-laws in cases where institutional waste management norms are violated, particularly where open garbage attracts stray dogs into campuses.

The combined institutional and shelter-based approach is being implemented alongside the city’s broader rabies elimination strategy targeting 2030, integrating sterilisation, vaccination, census mapping and public space management under a unified municipal framework.

IANS