Stray Dogs in Pune to Be Microchipped; PMC Becomes First in Maharashtra to Implement the Initiative

Pune, 17th October 2025: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to microchip stray dogs across the city in an effort to control their population and curb the rising incidents of dog bites. This makes Pune the first city in Maharashtra to adopt such a measure under the Central Government’s Rabies-Free India initiative.

Across the country, cases of dog bites and rabies-related deaths have been on the rise. To address these concerns, several cities including Delhi, Goa, Jaipur, and Bengaluru have already introduced microchipping for stray dogs. The chips help authorities track vaccination and sterilization details, as well as monitor the movement of stray animals.

Pune Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram said that the city has witnessed an increase in dog-bite incidents in recent months, prompting the civic body to take proactive measures. “According to our data, there are around three lakh stray dogs in Pune city. As part of our pilot project, we will begin by microchipping 600 dogs,” he said.

Explaining the technology, Ram added, “The microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and will be injected into the dog’s shoulder area. It uses RFID technology and carries a unique 15-digit number, similar to an Aadhaar card for dogs. Once scanned using a specialized device, it will display details such as the dog’s age, color, sterilization and vaccination records, and the area it belongs to.”

He further noted that this initiative will help the PMC streamline sterilization and vaccination drives. “After scanning the chip, all details about the dog’s medical history will be available instantly. This will ensure timely anti-rabies vaccination and effective sterilization planning,” he said.

The PMC believes that the microchipping project will significantly enhance data accuracy and monitoring of the city’s stray dog population, particularly in newly incorporated areas.

The civic body will assess the success of the pilot project before scaling it up across Pune city.