The latest Supreme Court directive has rekindled hope that the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) blueprint to manage stray dogs, which was once considered a model for civic bodies across the country, may finally see the light of day.
The apex court’s directive covers a wide range of measures: from maintaining anti-rabies vaccine stock and forming patrol teams to setting Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and raising awareness on preventive behaviour and post-bite protocols.
None of these directions are new to the Bengaluru’s civic body. The plans of the erstwhile BBMP, and now the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), were more comprehensive and addressed multiple facets of the issue.
Bengaluru plan
To ramp up the Animal Birth Control (ABC) drive, the BBMP had proposed setting up veterinary hospitals with adequate facilities in all its zones. To reduce dog aggression triggered by hunger, it also introduced a ₹2.88-crore feeding programme. In a move towards a data-driven approach, the civic body planned to microchip stray dogs.
In addition to the ABC, the BBMP pioneered the use of DHPPiL, a five-in-one vaccine protecting dogs against distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and leptospirosis, besides rabies. Hopes were high when the BBMP allocated ₹60 crore, thrice its usual ₹20 crore, to the Animal Husbandry Department for 2025–26. But after the formation of five new corporations in September, all these plans remained on paper.
The GBA Chief later directed new commissioners to identify land in their respective jurisdictions and establish ABC centres, which are a critical need. The city’s installed capacity for dog surgeries was under 500 a day remains unchanged.
Land issues
The North City Corporation is the only one functioning at full strength. Pommala Sunil Kumar told The Hindu they operate two ABC centres at Yelahanka and Dasarahalli, with a combined capacity of 175 slots.
Lokhande Snehal Sudhakar, Additional Commissioner of East City Corporation, said they have identified 2 acres and 30 guntas in K.R. Puram for a veterinary-cum-ABC centre, but land acquisition is yet to begin.
South City Commissioner Ramesh K.N. said that they are still searching for suitable land, with having one centre operational in Bommanahalli. “Finding free space in the city has been difficult. We’ve considered multiple locations, but there are challenges everywhere,” he told The Hindu. The Central and West Corporations face similar issues.
Meanwhile, the new corporations are trying to identify spaces in every ward to manage stray dogs at micro level, a tedious task given Bengaluru’s dense land occupancy.
Feeding spots and vaccination
While citizens feeding stray dogs often drew public criticism, the corporations were directed to designate feeding zones to avoid conflict. However, progress has been slow.
GBA Chief Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao also acknowledged a shortage of anti-rabies vaccines in the city. Where vaccines are available, there aren’t enough veterinarians to carry out the programme. At one point, the BBMP even considered violating the norms of the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) norms to address manpower and space shortages.
“Once a dog is neutered, a minimum four-day observation is mandatory under the ABC rules. We had planned a one-day neutering and release system, which would have violated the rules, but it was dropped,” an official told The Hindu.
Meanwhile, the files on the feeding and microchipping programmes continue to gather dust in the new corporations.
According to senior officials, these programmes took a back seat as the city grappled with pothole and infrastructure problems.
High-level meeting
A source in the GBA said that Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh held a meeting on Saturday with all municipal corporations in the State to discuss the Supreme Court’s directives.
“The Chief Secretary has directed the Animal Welfare Board to prepare an immediate action plan covering all aspects of the issue. Once ready, all corporations will implement it,” the source said.
The meeting also debated the relevance of public feeding. A final decision on the matter is expected in the next round of discussions.
Published – November 08, 2025 09:31 pm IST
