Ahmedabad: The Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is set to launch a city-wide stray dog census next week, starting with the Paldi ward and gradually covering all 48 wards. The initiative follows a Supreme Court directive dated August 11, 2025, and aims to systematically track and manage the city’s estimated 2.10 lakh stray dog population.

The exercise will be conducted by trained teams, each comprising three volunteers. Beginning in Paldi, the survey will be rolled out across all wards over a nine-month period, with additional teams to be deployed if required.

A dedicated mobile application will be used for real-time data collection. Each stray dog will be geo-tagged and photographed, with details such as age, gender and health condition recorded. Puppies below six months will be categorised separately, while sterilisation status will determine inclusion in the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme.

According to AMC estimates, around 1.90 lakh of the total 2.10 lakh stray dogs have already been sterilised. However, infrastructure constraints remain a major challenge. The city currently operates only 6–8 shelters with a combined capacity of 8,000–10,000 dogs, which is significantly below the requirement. Officials have indicated that at least 10–12 additional shelters, along with expanded ABC centres, are needed to comply with court directives of shifting roaming dogs to shelters.

The urgency of the exercise is underscored by rising dog bite incidents. The city records nearly 5,000 cases every month, about 180 daily, posing a serious public health risk, particularly for children and the elderly due to potential rabies transmission. DeshGujarat