Census of pet dogs is being planned in all 20 wards
TEAM HEALD
MARGAO: Mission Rabies aimed at controlling dog population will launch a sustained campaign in the commercial capital right at the ward level, beginning from next month.
A ward wise census of pet dogs is being planned at all the 20 wards to facilitate sterilisation of pets as well as strays.
A delegation of activists called on Margao Municipal Chief Officer Deepali Naik on Wednesday with a plea to support the campaign by carrying out a census on pet dogs for purpose of vaccination.
Mission Rabies coordinator Dr Astrid Almeida told Herald that the NGO will carry out the campaign in Margao by vaccinating both pet and stray dogs. “Mission Rabies had carried out a massive sterilisation of pet dogs in September last. We have now decided to embark on a similar exercise in Margao. During our meeting with the MMC Chief Officer, we have impressed upon the need for the ward members to conduct a census of pet dogs”, informed Dr Almeida. The delegation also impressed upon the Chief Officer to increase the number of cages at the dog shelter.
Former MMC Chairperson Savio Coutinho said the Animal Birth Control (ABC) program has hit a roadblock for want of adequate number of cages at the dog shelter.
“The dog shelter is saturated with 20 cages. There’s no addition to the cages since the commissioning of the ABC project”, Coutinho said, while expressing satisfaction over the promise made by the Chief Officer to tone up the infrastructure.
