Bhubaneswar, Oct 13: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has completed the city’s first-ever comprehensive stray dog census, revealing that the capital is home to 47,126 stray dogs. The survey, a first of its kind in Odisha, was conducted in two phases between September 18 and 25, covering all 67 wards under BMC’s jurisdiction.

Teams carried out the enumeration during the early morning hours, from 5 am to 7 am, visiting every lane and street to ensure accuracy. The data shows 23,047 male dogs, 15,552 female dogs, and 1,124 puppies within city limits. Among them, 4,068 male and 3,335 female dogs have already been sterilized under BMC’s animal birth control programme.

According to the findings, Ward 23 recorded the highest stray dog population with 1,703 dogs, followed by Ward 6 with 1,062. The census also revealed that Bhubaneswar’s stray dog density stands at 36 per 1,000 people, significantly higher than the national average of 11 per 1,000, as per the 20th National Livestock Census. The data will help the civic body plan effective sterilization and vaccination drives.

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