In A First, Bhopal Civic Body To Implant Microchips In Stray Dogs To Identify Sterilized Canines

The move comes amid raging controversy over the recent order by the supreme court for relocation of stray dogs to shelters in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) with animal rights activists opposing such a move.

According to Bhopal Municipal Commissioner, Harendra Narayan, the civic body is planning to put microchips on the backside of the stray dogs, which have been sterilized and vaccinated, to ensure that no canine moving in the streets are left without sterilization and vaccination.

The microchip will be the size of a grain of rice and will contain an unique identification.

The microchip will have details regarding the date of sterilization and vaccination of the particular stray dog and the veterinary doctor who had sterilized and vaccinated it.

This will help the civic body authorities to ascertain which stray dogs in the capital city are not sterilized, sources said.

This will go a long way in ending stray dog menace in the city, sources said.

Sources said around 22,000 dogs have been sterilized every year in Bhopal.

Bhopal is also the first district in Madhya Pradesh to prepare an action plan to protect people from dog bites.

According to the National Health Mission (NHM), 19,285 cases of dog bites were reported in Bhopal in 2024.

The NHM had earlier conducted a survey in six cities- Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Ujjain and Ratlam- of Madhya Pradesh under the National Rabies Control Program (NRCP).

Ratlam topped the list in the survey followed by Ujjain, Indore, and Gwalior.