Bhubaneswar, August 28: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) will begin a comprehensive dog census in the state capital from the second week of September, officials said on Thursday.
The survey will take place during early morning hours when the roads are relatively quiet and stray dogs are more visible, making the enumeration process smoother.
BMC Commissioner Chanchal Rana informed that Swachh Sathis, sanitation staff, and corporation officials will take part in the exercise. All field teams will undergo prior training to ensure accuracy.
Acting on the guidance of veterinary experts, the counting will be conducted simultaneously across all wards. Each ward will have three to four officials engaged in the task, which is expected to be completed within seven to ten days.
According to Rana, the initiative aims to provide a clear picture of the dog population and its ward-wise distribution. So far, the corporation has only relied on estimates linked to human population ratios.
At present, the city is believed to have around 40,000 to 45,000 dogs. The fresh census will deliver authentic data to aid in future planning and management measures.
