PANAJI
The Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services (AHVS) will conduct a statewide survey of stray and pet dogs, as well as stray cattle found along highways and roads, from October 1 to 15, in compliance with directions from the High Court of Bombay at Goa.
The officials said the exercise will be carried out area-wise by urban and rural local bodies to establish a clearer picture of the animal population across the State. While also carrying out a door-to-door survey of pet dogs, the department has sought cooperation from the general public.
“A door-to-door campaign will also be undertaken by the concerned ward member/ panch/ councillor, with the help of dog feeders/ volunteers to identify the number of domesticated/ pet dogs in the ward, with their gender and sterilisation status. The cooperation of all members of the public is hereby solicited to provide the required information for successful conduct of the drive,” the department said.
The department has asked feeders and volunteers to approach their respective panch, councillor or corporator and submit information on stray dogs and cattle in their localities by September 25.
The drive comes after the High Court questioned the authorities over the absence of reliable data on Goa’s stray dog population. During the latest hearing, the Division Bench of Justice Valmiki Menezes and Justice Amit Jamsandekar asked, “Do you have any idea how many stray dogs there are?” as it stressed that a comprehensive plan to tackle the issue cannot be framed without dependable population data.
Earlier this week, the Bench also suggested geo-tagging, at least partially, to establish the distribution of stray dogs and other relevant details.
The Union government placed a provisional figure of around 39,180 stray dogs in Goa. However, the Bench noted discrepancies in earlier estimates, including a figure of around 56,000 cited for January 2025. “I hope when the sterilisation begins, this does not turn out to be three times the figures,” it remarked.
