Jammu, March 27 (PTI) More than 1.52 lakh stray dogs are estimated to be present in major urban centres of Jammu and Kashmir, including 64,416 in Srinagar city, the government said, citing a survey.
Replying to a question by National Conference MLA Tanvir Sadiq in the assembly, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also has charge of the housing and urban ministry, said the figures pertain to key municipal areas across J-K.
“The estimated number of stray dogs in major urban centres of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is 1,52,775, which includes 64,416 stray dogs in Srinagar city”, he said, referring to the survey conducted in 2023.
Providing details on the sterilisation efforts, Abdullah said district-wise data on stray dogs sterilised between June 2023 and September 2025 has been compiled and that the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme is monitored through a multi-tier mechanism.
“The programme is monitored through a UT Level Monitoring Committee, ULB-level committees, real-time tracking via the ABC Mobile Application, regular reporting systems, CCTV surveillance of centres, financial monitoring linked to digital records, and a grievance redressal mechanism,” he said.
The chief minister, however, informed the House that no formal independent third-party evaluation of the programme has been conducted so far.
He added that continuous oversight is being carried out by committees at the UT and municipal levels, including representatives from concerned departments and animal welfare organisations.
Addressing growing public safety concerns, particularly for children and elderly citizens, he said that several measures have been undertaken and proposed to manage the stray dog population humanely.
These include expansion of ABC centres, increasing facilities in Jammu — from one to three — and setting up additional centres in Srinagar along with continuous sterilisation and anti-rabies vaccination drives, he said.
Other measures listed in the reply include the establishment of designated feeding spots away from schools and crowded areas, public awareness campaigns, identification of land for dog shelters, deployment of mobile sterilisation units, sanitation drives to reduce waste that attracts strays, and training of dog-catching staff, he said.
He also said that it is complying with the directions of the Supreme Court in a suo motu writ petition on stray animal management, including fencing vulnerable public spaces and appointing nodal officers.
“The government is actively implementing a structured and humane strategy for management of stray dog population through sterilisation, vaccination, infrastructure, and public safety measures,” he added. PTI AB AB SKY SKY
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