Bhubaneswar, Aug 22: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to launch a comprehensive dog census across the city to determine the exact population of both stray and pet dogs, Mayor Sulochana Das said on Thursday.

As part of the initiative, all dogs—whether strays or pets—will be ear-tagged. These tags will include essential information such as sterilization and vaccination status. For pet dogs, details about their owners will be recorded, while data regarding the territories of stray dogs will be documented and maintained by the civic authorities.

Mayor Das stated that BMC will create and manage a centralized database of all dogs in the city. 

“This initiative will not only help in managing the stray dog population but also ensure their health and safety. The ear-tagging will contribute to the city’s aesthetics and improve public safety,” she said.

In addition to the census, the BMC will resume its sterilization programme for stray dogs. “Once the sterilization drive is completed, we’ll be able to assess whether the stray dog population is increasing or stabilizing,” the Mayor added.

While the groundwork for the programme has already been completed, the rollout has been delayed due to the ongoing monsoon. 

Mayor Das confirmed that the census will begin once the rains subside.

Preliminary estimates suggest that Bhubaneswar has over 80,000 stray dogs, though the exact number will be confirmed through the upcoming census.

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