Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, August 18
The Shimla Municipal Corporation has launched a large-scale campaign to curb rising incidents of dog bites, fitting stray dogs with GPS and QR-coded collars to track their movement and behaviour. The 25-day campaign, led by the Shimla Municipal Corporation, will cover all city wards and include sterilisation, vaccination against rabies and other diseases, and the creation of a digital record for each dog. Officials said around 3,000 dogs will be sterilised and vaccinated during the drive.
Mayor Surinder Chauhan said the collars would help monitor location shifts and behavioural patterns, while aggressive dogs identified as a threat to residents would be relocated to the Tutikandi Dog Home. Each animal will be numbered and digitally logged for future reference.
The initiative is being supported by veterinary experts from Maharashtra, Goa and Delhi, under the guidance of Dr Anil. The team is capturing strays, vaccinating them, and studying their habits and behaviour. Officials described the programme as the first of its kind in India, combining vaccination, sterilisation and digitalisation. The aim is to achieve 100% sterilisation to reduce both the stray dog population and bite cases, while also raising public awareness about canine behaviour and feeding practices.
