Sterilisation push: HDMC readies stray dog centre for 100 daily surgeries

Hubballi: The Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) is set to launch a special drive under its Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, marking a key step in strengthening stray dog population management in the twin cities. As part of the initiative, the civic body has set up an exclusive sterilisation centre for stray dogs at Shivalli village near Hubballi to significantly raise daily surgical capacity.

For years, HDMC struggled to scale up sterilisation, with daily numbers limited to around 35-40 dogs. With the new facility ready, the corporation plans to increase this to at least 100 procedures a day. This is expected to be among the highest daily capacities in the state and is likely to give a strong boost to ABC programme implementation.

The newly built centre has been designed exclusively for sterilisation and related care. Spread over nearly 380 sq metres, it is equipped for both pre-operative and post-operative management of animals. Officials said the infrastructure ensures smoother handling of the process, from admission and preparation to surgery and recovery.

Supporting facilities, including water supply, a doctor’s cabin, kennels and essential amenities, have also been put in place. The focus is not only on increasing surgeries but also on ensuring proper care and monitoring before and after procedures.

HDMC commissioner Rudresh Ghali said construction of the Shivalli facility is complete, and only formal inauguration remains. Once launched, it will help the corporation implement the ABC programme on a much larger scale.

The initiative is seen as a key civic intervention for scientific stray dog control, improved public health and systematic implementation of animal welfare measures within city limits, Ghali added.