The survey of street dogs planned as part of the opening of the Multispeciality Hospital and Animal Birth Control Centre of Kozhikode Municipal Corporation will be held in the first week of February. The survey that was scheduled to be held in January was postponed for technical reasons.
“Around 50 NSS volunteers from the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Wayanad, will carry out the survey that will be held mostly at night,” said Veterinary Officer K.K. Baby, who is in charge of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Project.
The authorities have sought the help of local residents’ associations to identify the sites where the dogs usually camp. Night vision cameras will be set up in the hotspots to get the exact number, Dr. Baby said.
Meanwhile, the pet dogs in the city will be vaccinated on one of the seven days of the survey. There are also plans to install microchips on these dogs for identification.
An introduction seminar will be held on the first day of the survey to create awareness among the residents.
Hospital inauguration
Meanwhile, the opening of the hospital and ABC centre has once again been postponed as some works are yet to be completed. “We are yet to set up the incinerator and water treatment plant, without which the hospital cannot be opened,” Dr. Baby said and added that the opening would be held in March.
The hospital and ABC centre is a long-awaited facility for the city that has been under the threat of ferocious stray dogs for the last few years. The centre set up at Poolakkadavu will provide 24-hour consultancy and also handle veterinary emergencies. Timely surveys, surgeries and vaccination are also part of the ABC Project.
With trained dog catchers and five surgeons being appointed, the hospital will be able to conduct around 200 surgeries every month.
