A comprehensive stray dog census conducted across Mangaluru has revealed the presence of 53,384 stray dogs within the 60 wards under Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC). The data was collected using a GPS-enabled mobile app developed by Worldwide Veterinary Services (WVS).
The joint initiative involved the MCC, WVS, Animal Care Trust, and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services. The enumeration took place between February 10 and April-end, with volunteers traversing mapped areas on two-wheelers, recording stray dog details via the mobile app.
Volunteers documented vital statistics — including the number of dogs, their sterilization status, lactating females, and pups — and revisited locations the next day to verify earlier entries.
Among all 60 wards, Baikampady (Ward 10) reported the highest average number of stray dogs, while Bajal (Ward 53) had the lowest count.
A key concern highlighted by the survey is that only 46% of the total stray dog population has been sterilized. While some wards have made commendable progress — such as Derebail South (Ward 24), Mannagudda (Ward 28), Kambla (Ward 29), and Cantonment (Ward 46) with over 70% sterilization — others lag significantly.
Wards like Kunjathbail (Ward 13), Bajal (Ward 53), Jeppinamogaru (Ward 54), Attavar (Ward 55), and Jeppu (Ward 59) recorded sterilization levels of less than 20%, raising concerns over unchecked growth in stray dog populations.
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