To control the stray dog population in Thimphu, the Department of Livestock will sterilise more than 3,000 stray dogs. They hope to complete it in the next one and a half month. This is part of the dog Population Management Campaign which aims to sterilise the whole of the dog population in the country including pets and strays.
Around 19 dogs were sterilised on the first day of the campaign. The department will spay and neuter around 3,400 dogs in Thimphu and its nearby areas.
The department along with help from stakeholder agencies will go around Thimphu catching dogs and sterilising and vaccinating them.
The department is also seeking help from the public by bringing their pets and strays to their community for sterilisation.
“This time we are targeting to achieve at least 95 per cent coverage of sterilisation among unsterilised dogs. This campaign also focuses on another objective of adopting dogs- community or individual adoption. So that we increase the number of owned dogs,” said Dr Gurung, the Program Director for National Centre for Animal Health.
The campaign is one of the initiatives under the waste and stray dog management flagship programme.
Despite several government interventions, the department of livestock says reducing the number of dogs has remained a major challenge. One of the main reasons is the lack of community support.
“Dogs breed twice a year and in every breeding season, a female dog will produce a minimum of eight puppies. When they breed twice a year that means a breedable female dog will produce sixteen puppies. Therefore, if our sterilisation coverage is not effective these numbers will replenish very quickly,” he added.
Dogs will also be treated for other diseases such as tumours and scabies. The campaign is also expected to meet other targets such as promote responsible dog ownership as well as reduce the risks of dog bites and transmission of zoonotic diseases.
Kinzang Lhadon
