Pune Takes a Bite Out of Rabies: PMC Announces Mass Vaccination Drive for Stray Dogs

Pune, 19th February 2024: Pune City is currently grappling with a significant population of stray dogs, and incidents of dog bites are on the rise. This situation has raised concerns about the potential risk of rabies infection. To address this issue, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has announced an upcoming initiative to vaccinate all stray dogs in the city as a preventive measure against rabies. The vaccination drive is set to incur an expenditure of 450 rupees for each dog.

The central government has issued a directive to launch an extensive anti-rabies vaccination campaign targeting stray dogs. The overarching objective is to achieve a rabies-free status for the country by the year 2030, and the central government has emphasized the need for immediate measures to attain this goal.

In adherence to these instructions, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will spearhead the vaccination campaign for stray dogs, collaborating with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for support. With the inclusion of newly added villages, the estimated stray dog population in the city is anticipated to increase from last year’s 1 lakh 80 thousand to approximately 2.5 lakh.

Last year, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) gave the anti-rabies vaccine to 7,311 stray dogs in the city. In January of the current year, 60 dogs have already received the vaccine. The PMC follows a practice of providing rabies vaccination to stray dogs in specific sections of the city following dog bite incidents in those areas. However, despite these efforts, the vaccination rate is notably low given the overall number of stray dogs. Sources have revealed that a decision has been made to vaccinate all stray dogs in the city against rabies moving forward.

Dr. Sarika Phunde, Veterinary Superintendent at the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), stated, “Vaccinating all stray dogs in the city simultaneously is not feasible. Therefore, to enhance the vaccination rate, numerous NGOs will be actively engaged in this campaign. The more NGOs participate, the greater the impact on vaccination coverage. The plan is to vaccinate approximately 90 thousand stray dogs in the next financial year, with a budget allocation of Rs 4 crore 5 lakh set aside in the upcoming PMC budget.”

Incidents of dog bites in the city have shown an increasing trend:
– 2021: 12,024 cases
– 2022: 16,569 cases
– 2023 (up to August): 14,072 cases