Four trucks, catchers, cattle pound: How BBMP clears stray cows from streets

Have you noticed stray cows wandering through traffic-choked city roads? The BBMP, apparently, is noticing it, too. The civic body in recent times has been picking up more cattle from the streets than ever before.

In an effort to clear the busy city roads of cattle, the civic body’s animal husbandry department has been bundling the stray animals into trucks and offloading them in a department-run cattle pound.

The department’s data reveals that 1,211 cows and 323 calves have been brought to the cattle pound on Osman Khan Road in 2022-23. This is a 77% increase from the 877 cattle picked up the previous year.

Regular operations

Dr M G Halli Shivaram, assistant director (Animal Husbandry), South Zone, BBMP, and chief veterinary officer of the cattle pound told DH that the department has been making efforts to spread awareness among cattle farmers about not allowing their cattle onto roads and private properties.

Three mini trucks with four catchers each patrol the streets daily. They also respond to 10 to 15 regular complaints a day from residents in different city neighbourhoods, Shivaram said.

Cattle picked up from the streets are maintained at the pound for a few days before being transferred to other cowsheds in the city, if they are not claimed.

Shivaram also said cattle farmers sometimes fight with the authorities and refuse to pay for letting their animals graze on private land or roam in public. Officials may let farmers go with a warning if it is the first occurrence, but if it happens repeatedly, farmers are asked to pay for the damages.