Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) on Saturday began relocating stray dogs in line with the Supreme Court’s recent directions. On the first day of the drive, 277 dogs were caught and shifted to GHMC Animal Care Centres for sterilisation, vaccination and management.
The Supreme Court on November 7 directed civic bodies to remove stray dogs from public places such as educational institutions, hospitals, sports complexes, and transport hubs. Acting on the order, the GHMC launched the operation across the city, starting with government hospitals.
Officials of the veterinary wing are preparing plans to accommodate the animals, but space remains a major challenge as the city has only five animal care shelters. GHMC commissioner R.V. Karnan held a virtual meeting with veterinary officials to review implementation. Instructions were issued to complete relocation and ensure compliance with the court order.
Earlier, sterilised dogs were released at the same spot, and billing software was designed to prevent releases beyond a 150-metre radius. Officials said this practice would now change for identified institutional areas. Now, the dogs would not be released back into these premises after sterilisation. The drive will soon cover private hospitals, schools, colleges and transport hubs in accordance with court directives.
The Supreme Court took up the issue following a rise in dog-bite cases in public institutions and ordered that such canines be moved to designated shelters for public safety.