Corp to start work on dog shelter at Brahmapuram

Kochi: Kochi corporation will soon start the work on the dog shelter proposed at Brahmapuram. The local body identified 4.5 acres of land for the purpose, and the facility to provide shelter to 1,000 dogs will be arranged on one acre in the first phase.Tenders for developing land will be issued soon as the model code of conduct was lifted on Wednesday. "We conducted preliminary studies for setting up the dog shelter. The land identified for the purpose is uneven. First, we will have to develop the land," Seena Gokulan, chairperson, health standing committee of Kochi corporation, said. The corporation authorities prepared a preliminary plan for setting up the dog shelter. "In the shelter, there will be facilities such as an open space for the dogs to walk around, kitchen to prepare food for dogs, clinic to treat them and quarters for the employees. We will soon invite models of design of the shelters from the public. Select models will be discussed by experts and corporation authorities before finalising," an official associated with the project said. "One of the major hurdles before us is the fact that there are no models. No other local bodies have set up dog shelters. So, we will have to toil much to prepare a plan sans flaws," the official said. As of now, there is an animal birth control (ABC) facility for sterilising stray dogs operating from Brahmapuram. However, the staff crunch is crippling the functioning of the ABC. There is only one veterinary doctor, two dog catchers and two veterinary nurses to catch and sterilise the stray dogs. The stray dogs caught for sterilisation are being administered vaccination as well. At the same time, the massive vaccination drive will be conducted in Nov every year, officials said.