Mumbai, Apr 3 (PTI) The `population density’ of stray dogs on the Mumbai streets decreased 21 per cent in the last ten years, a survey report published by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday said.
A reduction of 21.83 per cent in “dog density” on the streets and 27.43 per cent in the slums was observed across Mumbai between 2014 and 2024, it said.
Mumbai had a dog population of 95,172 with `per kilometer density’ of 10.54 dogs in 2014.
The street canine population fell to 90,757 in 2024, while population density fell to 8.01 dogs per kilometer, despite a growth in the human population.
The report titled `Evaluation of Street Dog Population Management and Sterilization Impact in Mumbai’ was prepared by the BMC in partnership with Humane Society International India (HSI), an NGO.
Some 930 km of Mumbai’s streets were surveyed to “evaluate the trends and impact of animal birth control”.
In slums, there were 224 dogs per one kilometer square area, the survey found.
Only in four wards — E, N, RS, and T — the dog density increased by 19.93 per cent, while in Ward D, the density remained stable.
It could be because of “migration from outside Mumbai…or migration between wards,” the report said.
The overall sterilization rate of the stray dog population was 62.9 per cent, with females having a slightly lower rate of 61.71 per cent.
Sterilization efforts should be increased in wards with low rates, and at least 85 percent of female dogs should be sterilized, the report recommended. PTI KK KRK
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