Punjab plans a statewide crackdown on stray dogs

CHANDIGARH - Dogs, especially strays, may not have an easy life in Punjab with the the state government Tuesday announcing a sustained plan to sterilise them - even engaging a Bangalore-based expert agency to help in the campaign.

State government officials said Tuesday that the plan has been mooted following the rising number of dog-bite complaints, especially bites of stray dogs, from across the state.

Though the anti-rabies and sterilisation campaign would be initiated from this month in all municipal corporation cities, priority would be given to Moga and Ferozepur districts which have witnessed more dog-bite cases.

“The campaign against stray dogs will be carried out in cities, towns and villages. Local bodies in cities and panchayats (village councils) will provide technical and logistics support for this campaign,” a state government spokesman said here.

Local authorities and panchayats have been asked to furnish numbers of stray dogs in their areas.

The government will also rope in non-government organisations in the campaign and pay Rs.450 per stray dog that is sterilised.