Coimbatore Corporation begins stray dog enumeration

COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore City Corporation began enumeration of stray dogs in the East Zone on Thursday to get an idea of stray dog population and devise suitable mechanisms to control their numbers.
Corporation commissioner Raja Gopal Sunkara said that an NGO has come forward to conduct the enumeration. Around 25 volunteers would be involved in the enumeration which would help the corporation carry out population control measures, he said.
City health officer Satish Kumar said there are two dog sterilization centres in the city – in Seeranaickenpalayam and Ondipudur –where around 80 dogs are being sterilized every week.
It is a challenge to plan and execute measures to effectively control stray dog populations without any idea about their numbers.
For now, the enumeration will take place only in the East since the NGO has come forward to cover it.
The decision on conducting such enumeration in the other zones will be taken later based on the outcome of this exercise. The outcome will also help them determine if more sterilization centres are required for the city, he said.
Another health official said that the stray dog problem is a major issue faced by residents. They are attending almost all the complaints raised by them. Dogs caught from a particular place will be left in the same place after the sterilization as per the rules. Although residents are not happy, nothing can be done about it.
Dog control measures will yield results which can be realized after a few years. There is no instant mechanism available to bring down their numbers. “Stray dogs thrive on the food waste thrown on the road. If the waste is properly handled, the population will come down significantly,” he said.