Bengaluru: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Friday announced a combined vaccine scheme for street dogs, integrating it with the ongoing Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV) programme.
BBMP Commissioner Tushar Girinath officially launched the first-of-its-kind initiative at the BBMP head office.
The 5-in-1 Canine Core Combined Vaccine targets canine distemper, canine hepatitis, canine parvovirus, canine parainfluenza, and canine leptospirosis.
Girinath stated that the BBMP has set a target of vaccinating 1.84 lakh dogs under this initiative.
"Out of the Rs 4.9-crore budget, Rs 4.3 to Rs 4.4 crore has been allocated for procuring vaccines, while the remaining funds will be used for logistics, including cold chain storage," he added.
The BBMP's Animal Husbandry Department announced on social media that they aim to vaccinate 50% of street dogs with the combined vaccine.
"The programme will be rolled out ward-wise starting today," the BBMP stated.
Special Commissioner for Health and Animal Husbandry Vikas Suralkar noted that the department is aiming for a 70% vaccination rate, which is feasible within the current budget.
Microchipping concerns
Animal welfare activists have long advocated for a comprehensive vaccination programme for street dogs.
"This is a much-needed initiative to save canine lives," said Sujaya Jagadish, founder of the Save Our Animals Charitable Trust. "Many street dogs entering shelters and Animal Birth Control (ABC) clinics carry infections, which then spread to others. This programme will prevent unnecessary deaths on the streets."
However, Jagadish expressed concerns over the BBMP’s proposal to microchip dogs to track their health.
"Microchipping goes against existing national regulations and is unnecessarily cruel. The BBMP should stick to the proven methodology used in the ARV programme instead," she argued.