Chicken, Rice, and Welfare: BBMP Rolls Out Stray Dog Meal Plan in Bengaluru

Bengaluru, 11th July 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is set to roll out a ₹2.9 crore daily feeding programme for stray dogs across the city. Aimed at reducing canine aggression and promoting public safety, the project will begin with feeding 5,000 strays across Bengaluru’s eight zones.

Each stray dog will receive one carefully prepared meal per day, weighing 367 grams and designed to meet the dietary needs of an average 15kg dog. The meal — costing ₹22.42 — includes 150 grams of chicken, 100 grams of rice, 100 grams of vegetables, and 10 grams of oil, delivering an energy boost of approximately 465–750 kcal.

According to BBMP officials, Bengaluru is home to over 2.8 lakh stray dogs. A pilot phase has already been conducted successfully. Currently, over 500 volunteers are already feeding around 25,000 stray dogs daily in various parts of the city.

The BBMP’s new model will involve contracting designated food vendors to deliver meals to specific feeding points — about 100 to 125 per zone — with 400 to 500 dogs assigned to each zone. Maintaining hygiene at these sites will be mandatory for all vendors, as per animal husbandry commissioner Suralkar Vikas Kishore.

“This is a structured public safety measure as much as it is a welfare initiative,” said a senior BBMP official. “No other municipal body in India has implemented a scheduled mass feeding programme for stray animals on this scale.”

BBMP is also encouraging citizens to support the initiative financially or by volunteering. The municipal body hopes that regular feeding will help reduce aggressive behaviour in dogs by stabilising their food sources and creating safer streets.

However, not everyone is convinced. Critics argue that the focus should be on sterilisation and population control rather than daily feeding.
“My 70-year-old father was recently chased by a group of stray dogs,” said a local resident from Jayanagar. “Feeding them chicken and rice won’t solve the root problem. The money should go into sterilisation drives and long-term population control.”

Despite the concerns, BBMP officials maintain that the initiative is just one part of a larger animal welfare strategy that will also include enhanced sterilisation, vaccination, and health monitoring programmes.

The official rollout is expected in the coming weeks, with the civic body closely monitoring its impact on both the stray dog population and public safety.