BBMP launches Rs 2.88-cr plan to feed chicken, rice to 5k stray dogs

Bengaluru: For the first time, BBMP is giving non-vegetarian food to around 5,000 street dogs in select areas. 

The initiative — which has received mixed reactions — is estimated to cost Rs 2.88 crore annually. The civic body believes this dog-feeding programme will help reduce dog bite cases in city, which currently range between 500 and 1,500 per month. 

As per the plan, BBMP will spend Rs 22 per dog per day. The budget covers approximately 5,000 street dogs, including transportation costs, officials said. 

“Many people find the initiative amusing, but it is not. We have consulted experts before drawing up the plan. The feeding programme will be implemented in areas with a high number of repeated dog bite cases,” said Suralkar Vikas Kishore, BBMP special commissioner. The food will include chicken and rice, he said. 

Earlier, BBMP had requested citizens to volunteer and feed street dogs at their own expense. “As not many came forward, we decided to allocate funds for the project,” Kishore said. 

Critics argue that feeding dogs is not BBMP’s responsibility, especially when it has underperformed in other essential civic duties. Dog lovers, however, have welcomed the move.

Prema Prasad, who feeds around 150 dogs daily in Koramangala, said it had become increasingly expensive to feed street dogs, and BBMP’s intervention was a positive step. “So far, the civic body’s animal husbandry wing has spent money on many unnecessary activities. This is a much-needed change,” she said. 

The street dogs, she said, do struggle to find food, especially in areas where door-to-door waste collection is efficient. “When dogs have full stomachs, conflicts are reduced. We must treat them as our own,” she said, adding the BBMP should also consider providing small shelters for street dogs so they feel safe and secure.