How Will MCG’s New Stray Dog Drive Affect Gurugram?
The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has taken a major step by launching a two-year ABC (animal birth control) and mass vaccination plan for stray dogs. The goal is to control the growing stray dog population and reduce the risk of rabies in the city. The operation has been assigned to Maa Baglamukhi Sewa Samiti, an NGO based in Jabalpur. The programme will run from November 29, 2025, to November 28, 2027.
Why This Programme Matters?
The rise in the number of stray dogs is one of the most significant problems that Gurugram is currently having, and per the civic authorities, there are approximately 50,000 in number. Concerns raised by the residents of the area have been on the uncontrolled breeding, dog bites and the risk of contracting rabies regularly. The growth of stray dogs as a result of their spreading in cities and the increase in the dumping of waste in open spaces have contributed to the development of the problems of safety and well-being of people and animals, respectively.
The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) intends to kill two birds with one stone by sterilizing and vaccinating against rabies since it will be able to control the breeding process of the dogs, and at the same time immunize them to protect human beings and animals. The MCG Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya said the campaign is a necessity on the grounds of animal welfare and public safety.
What does the Drive entail?
Under the new programme:
- The NGO will perform large-scale sterilization of stray dogs across Gurugram’s Zones 1 to 4.
- The city will get one more shot at anti-rabies vaccination for every stray dog as a preventive measure to control rabies cases in the area.
- The agency will receive ₹700 for every sterilization and ₹250 for each vaccination, according to the official work orders.
- The MCG chief medical officer, sanitary inspectors, and other health officials will monitor and supervise the entire process, which is to be done in a “scientific and humane” manner.
Moreover, MCG has previously come up with updated stray-dog management guidelines, which involved asking residential welfare associations (RWAs) to set up special feeding zones, away from busy or sensitive public places, and to discontinue introducing more strays through feeding.
What does this mean for Residents?
- Enhanced public health and safety: The report anticipates that rabies outbreaks will become rare occurrences due to the mass vaccination of animals.
- Slower increase in stray population: The sterilization program will gradually reduce the number of strays, thus making the city a more pleasant and hygienic place to live.
- Improved stray-dog management through a systematic approach: A coordinated city-wide movement can provide coverage over different zones and ensure that the scattered/unregulated efforts are not wasted.
- Cooperation of the community is required: The residents are asked to assist the movement by telling about the dogs that are not vaccinated or sterilized, and by being cooperative with the teams in the field.
Challenges & What to Watch For
Although the strategy is quite ambitious and it has a bright future, the key will be execution. The stray population of the city is huge, and it may take a while before all zones have regular coverage. Along with that, major issues of the plan are human treatment, monitoring of every animal, and carrying out post-sterilization monitoring. Previous attempts failed because of the lack of involvement of the agency; that’s what reports say.
Adding on, public support is a major factor in this initiative succeeding, especially when it comes to keeping the streets clean by not dumping garbage openly, not feeding animals on the streets, and adopting or taking care of them properly when possible.
Conclusion
The two-year sterilization and mass vaccination drive of MCG is a landmark step in responsible stray-dog management and urban public health in Gurugram. The programme aims to create a safer, cleaner, and more humane city. It brings together animal welfare and human safety. There are still some challenges to address. However, if implemented effectively, this initiative can become a model for other Indian cities facing stray-dog overpopulation and rabies risk. It could ultimately turn into a positive and necessary transformation for them.
For residents of Gurugram: this is your chance to support, cooperate, and make sustainable change, because ensuring animal welfare and citizen safety go hand in hand.
