The city’s pet and domestic animal enumeration has just been completed.
Over 11.06 lakh households have been screened for pet and other domestic animals as part of the enumeration for the 19th livestock census. As the Chennai Corporation was unable to support the exercise, self-help groups played a key role in the census this year. Compilation of data is currently underway.
Corporation officials said the civic body were unable to help with the census as there was already a delay in completing the socio-economic and caste census.
The livestock census began on September 15 and was conducted by 123 supervisors and 738 enumerators who visited houses to collect data.
“Enumerators visited our house a few weeks ago and collected data They said they were from a self-help group,” said S. Kamalakannan, a resident of Triplicane who has dogs at home.
The data collected is expected to be of immense help to the Corporation in tackling public health challenges such as rabies.
The census, which forms part of the five-yearly All India Livestock Census 2012, is funded by the government of India. Volunteers have collected information related to cows, buffalo, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, donkeys, dogs and rabbits.