As the Delhi authorities gears up to microchip astir 10 lakh stray dogs implicit the adjacent 2 years arsenic portion of its rabies enactment plan, experts caution that its occurrence depends connected resolving the chronic issues plaguing the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme.
As of July 2025, Delhi had recorded 26,334 canine wound cases arsenic against 68,090 specified cases reported successful the erstwhile year. Till July 31, determination were 49 confirmed cases of rabies successful the Capital. The Supreme Court ordered connected August 11 that each stray dogs beryllium permanently sheltered, triggering an uproar from the carnal activists. It revised the bid connected August 22, directing the authorities to merchandise the sterilised and vaccinated dogs and support rabid and sick canines successful shelters.
Development Minister Kapil Mishra, aft a gathering with the Delhi Advisory Board for Animal Welfare connected September 10, said the authorities volition implant microchips successful astir 10 lakh thoroughfare dogs in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme implicit the adjacent 2 years. Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Standing Committee chairperson Satya Sharma confirmed that they volition question authorities funds to instrumentality the initiative.
A municipal authoritative told The Hindu that microchipping tin streamline the ABC programme’s “catch-neuter-vaccinate-release” model, improving semipermanent monitoring. “These chips volition store cardinal details, including the animal’s vaccination and sterilisation history,” helium said. The ABC rules, which were introduced nether the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Rules, 2001, were revised successful 2023. Experts have highlighted the programme’s ineffective implementation implicit the past 20 years, including outdated census data, inadequate infrastructure, mediocre planning, and underutilisation of funds.
‘Outdated census’
The past citywide canine census was conducted successful 2009, which estimated the colonisation to beryllium 5.6 lakh. A 2019 Delhi Assembly subcommittee projected it astatine 8 lakh, portion the MCD’s veterinary section present estimates astir 10 lakh stray dogs.
After the meeting, Mr. Mishra stated that a canine census should beryllium conducted astatine the earliest to guarantee close data. “How bash you expect to instrumentality a programme without knowing however galore dogs you’re dealing with?” said a erstwhile manager of the MCD Rabies Control Programme. “We are mounting sterilisation targets based connected disposable budgets and facilities, not connected technological need,” helium added.
Experts affirm that to bring down the stray population, astatine slightest 90% of the dogs request to beryllium sterilised successful a short period. “According to rules, pistillate dogs should beryllium prioritised for neutering, arsenic antheral dogs thin to go much assertive aft the procedure,” said Meet Asher, carnal rights advocator astatine People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
MCD’s information amusement that successful 2022, 59,076 dogs were sterilised. In 2023 and 2024, the numbers roseate to 79,959 and 1,31,137 respectively, portion lone 31,888 procedures were recorded arsenic of June this year.
Long hold for funds
Between 2015 and 2024, the civic assemblage spent implicit ₹60 crore for the neutering of canines, according to an MCD official. This year, ₹15 crore has been acceptable speech for this purpose. However, nary funds person been released successful the existent fiscal year, and the NGOs moving the ABC centres person been awaiting disbursement since March 2025.
Sarungbam Yaiphabi Devi, laminitis of Animal Trust India, runs a centre successful Lajpat Nagar. “The MCD pays ₹1,000 per dog, but the existent outgo is astir ₹2,600. When not adjacent that is being paid, however bash you expect america to support going?” she said.
Besides lacking capable infrastructure, galore centres are reportedly grappling with a deficiency of qualified veterinary staff, overcrowded kennels, mediocre segregation of animals, outdated dog-catching techniques, and nonaccomplishment to tag dogs post-surgery, complicating follow-up.
Leadership gaps compound the problem. The MCD’s Veterinary Department has been without a Director for implicit 9 months, and 1 of its 2 Additional Director posts remains vacant.
“Our veterinary section is 1 of the astir neglected wings of the MCD,” an authoritative said. Of the 649 sanctioned posts, 277 stay vacant, including roles for canine catchers, drivers, inspectors, and tract staff.
‘ABC rules flawed’
Not lone is determination ineffective implementation of the ABC rules, but the rules besides are “flawed”, said Meghna Uniyal, co-founder of Humane Foundation for People and Animals.
“It legalises straying and renders respective protective provisions successful the PCA Act useless, including the quality to structure stray dogs. It treats unowned dogs arsenic pets. But stray dogs are not meant to beryllium pushed connected metropolis streets,” she said.
Ms. Sharma had besides called for amending the ABC rules to let relocation of strays, presently prohibited. “If necessary, we volition attack the Central authorities to revise the law,” she said.
