KUMAR PRABHAT
DUMKA
Aiming to create rabies-free urban spaces and manage the stray animal population through scientific methods, the Dumka Municipal Council is gearing up for a large-scale canine enumeration, birth control, and immunisation campaign. The initiative forms an integral part of the Jharkhand Urban Development and Housing Department’s flagship drive being implemented across all 49 urban local bodies in the state under the Directorate of Municipal Administration.
The intervention in Dumka will commence with a ward-by-ward field census utilizing GIS mapping tools to accurately document the street canine population. Following the survey, empaneled partner agencies will operationalise dedicated Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres, carrying out sterilisation surgeries and 100 per cent anti-rabies inoculations in full alignment with the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023 and the Animal Welfare Board of India guidelines.
Cruelty-free protocols remain central to the entire exercise. Canines will be caught using gentle, approved capturing methods, while pregnant females and puppies below six months of age will remain strictly exempt from procedures. Following surgical interventions, animals will undergo a mandatory minimum four-day post-operative recuperation period under veterinary care, during which they will receive wound management, deworming, adequate nutrition, clean water, ear-tagging, and rabies vaccinations before being safely returned to their original territorial spots.
To maintain transparency and prevent duplication, every sterilised dog will receive a unique 12-digit identification code, with full digital logging of pickup and release coordinates, health charts, and vaccination milestones. The agency will also lead citizen awareness campaigns and address local resident queries ahead of catching drives across different wards in Dumka.
