M Haziq Pandit
Srinagar, Sep 20: In a proactive move to control the city’s stray dog population and reduce dog bite incidents, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) will open its much-awaited third dog sterilization centre in Chatterhama this October. The new state-of-the-art facility aims to strengthen the city’s ongoing sterilization and vaccination efforts under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) program, ensuring humane treatment of stray dogs while enhancing public safety.
Currently, Srinagar operates two sterilization centres — one in Shuhama and another in Tengpora — but their limited capacity has hindered large-scale efforts. Official data shows the Shuhama centre performs around 15 sterilizations per day, while Tengpora handles 45 to 50 procedures daily. With an estimated stray dog population of 60,000 to 70,000 in the city, these efforts remain insufficient to address the growing problem.
The Chatterhama centre aims to bridge this gap. Equipped with two dedicated sterilization theatres and 60 kennels, it can accommodate up to 300 dogs at a time, performing nearly 60 sterilizations daily — a substantial increase over the existing centres. In addition to sterilization, the facility will administer Anti-Rabies Vaccination (ARV), further strengthening public health safeguards.
One of the standout features of the Chatterhama centre is its year-round functionality. Harsh winters have traditionally disrupted sterilization drives, often slowing or halting them altogether due to the risk of infections. To address this, the new facility will have a closed kennel system with integrated heating arrangements, ensuring uninterrupted operations throughout the year.
The project is now in its final stages, with officials confirming that the facility is 90 percent complete and expected to become operational later this October. “Construction and setup have progressed well, with only minor finishing works remaining. We are confident it will be fully functional by the end of October,” said Dr. Faazil Bashir Rather, Veterinary Officer at SMC. “With its all-weather facilities and enhanced capacity, this centre will mark a turning point in our sterilization efforts. For the first time, we will be able to run the programme year-round, even during harsh winters.”
The Chatterhama centre is part of a broader push by SMC to intensify sterilization drives across Srinagar. Between June 2023 and October 2024, over 14,000 stray dogs were sterilized and vaccinated under the ABC program. In 2024 alone, 6,702 dogs underwent sterilization, while 6,848 received rabies vaccinations. In 2025, more than 900 dogs have already been sterilized, with a target of 21,000 sterilizations, vaccinations, and dewormings over the next 16 months.
“The department has set a target to sterilize 21,000 stray dogs over the next 16 months, covering all 35 municipal wards of Srinagar. The Chatterhama facility will play a key role in achieving this goal,” Dr. Rather added. Interestingly, SMC has also digitized the entire sterilization process for the first time this year, enabling real-time tracking of each operation. From capture to release, every dog is assigned a unique ID, and its details are logged in a mobile app, ensuring transparency and efficiency. Officials say this modernization will accelerate efforts to control the stray dog population and reduce dog bite incidents across the city. “This is for the first time we’ve implemented this process, and it will ensure full transparency while eliminating the scope for malpractice. Each dog will be assigned a unique ID, and its location will be logged at every step,” Dr. Rather said. He further emphasized that sterilization remains the most effective long-term approach to controlling the stray dog population, particularly as the Animal Birth Control Rule 2023 prohibits relocation of stray dogs. “By preventing further breeding, we aim to steadily reduce both the stray dog population and incidents of dog bites,” he said.
