Ranchi: While stray dogs continue to create a sense of fear in Ranchi, the city’s municipal corporation is actively catching and sterilizing them. However, it appears the administration has not been fully serious about addressing the issue. The last survey on stray dogs was conducted in 2016, and municipal authorities along with Hope and Animal Trust still rely on those figures to plan operations.
Daily, 10–12 dogs are captured and brought to the dilapidated municipal center at Chutia for sterilization. According to Dr. Nishant Singh, already sterilized dogs are released, while new and sick dogs are treated at the center for 3–5 days before being returned to their original locations. Municipal teams follow a route chart covering two wards per day, completing all 53 wards in a month. Sterilized dogs are marked by a cut on their ears to prevent recapture. Based on the old survey, Ranchi has an estimated 1.33 lakh stray dogs.
Despite this, conditions at the Chutia center are poor. Maintenance and cleanliness are reportedly neglected, and staff shortages—especially among sanitation workers—are common. Dr. Singh maintains that operations follow Animal Welfare Board of India guidelines, with both the municipal corporation and partner trust working sincerely. He added that a new facility may be built after upcoming municipal elections and that a fresh stray dog survey could soon be conducted with the cooperation of the state’s animal husbandry department.
Meanwhile, Ranchi Sadar Hospital continues to report over a hundred dog bite cases daily. Authorities now face the challenge of translating Supreme Court guidelines on stray dogs into effective policies that ensure residents can live without fear.