VALPOI
The Valpoi Municipal Council (VMC) has launched a survey to collect detailed information on stray dogs, pet dogs and stray cattle found on roads and along highways within the municipal limits.The exercise is being undertaken in the backdrop of an order issued by the Bombay High Court at Goa.
VMC Chief Officer Dhiren Banavalikar has issued a public notice in this regard on September 16. Residents of Wards 1 to 10, citizens who regularly feed stray dogs, local animal handlers, animal welfare volunteers and other concerned residents have been requested to cooperate with the survey and provide the required information by September 25. According to the municipal notice, a survey and information-gathering exercise is being undertaken through government departments and agencies concerned to collect details regarding the number and status of stray dogs, pet dogs and stray cattle found on roads and highways across Goa. The exercise is intended to provide an accurate, area-wise picture of the animal population within the Valpoi Municipal Council limits.
The municipal public notice has specifically clarified that no animal will be captured, displaced or harmed during the information-gathering exercise.
KEY OBJECTIVES
One of the key objectives of the survey is to systematically record the stray dog population within the municipal limits and identify dogs that have been sterilised and those that have not undergone sterilisation. Information regarding vaccination status will also be collected.
Details of pet dogs will also be gathered as part of the exercise so that a basic database can be prepared for future animal management and planning.
The ward-wise information is expected to help establish a baseline database covering the number of stray dogs, their areas of movement and habitation, and their sterilisation and vaccination status. Such information can provide a scientific basis for planning future measures related to animal welfare, public health and the safety of citizens.
ROLE OF FEEDERS, VOLUNTEERS
The VMC has specifically appealed to citizens who regularly feed stray dogs and to animal welfare volunteers to extend their cooperation.
They have been requested to provide information about the stray dogs in their respective areas, including their approximate numbers, identification, vaccination status, sterilisation status and regular areas of movement. The participation of regular feeders and volunteers is considered important because they are often familiar with the animals in their locality and can help survey teams identify individual dogs more accurately. Availability of such local information can also reduce the possibility of the same animal being recorded repeatedly in different locations and help the municipality prepare more reliable data.
