Srinagar, Nov 7: Despite years of interventions and expenditure on its Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) continues to face difficulties in containing the city’s growing stray dog population, with residents raising concerns over the increasing presence of dogs and newborn puppies across neighbourhoods.

From residential lanes and marketplaces to roadsides and open spaces, residents report frequent sightings of female dogs giving birth to litters of four to six puppies. The recurring appearance of newborn litters has raised questions about the coverage, pace and effectiveness of the corporation’s sterilisation programme.
The challenge is reflected in government figures disclosed in September 2026, which put Srinagar’s estimated stray dog population at 64,416. Against this, 15,266 dogs were sterilised between June 2023 and September 2025, while 15,725 were vaccinated against rabies during the same period.
The sterilisation figure represents around 24 per cent of the estimated population, leaving a substantial number of dogs outside the recorded coverage.
Residents argue that sterilisation must be carried out continuously and on a sufficiently large scale to check population growth. They question how the corporation can control the problem when the pace of sterilisation appears inadequate to keep up with reproduction.
The programme has also reportedly faced operational disruptions linked to outsourcing. A July 2026 report indicated that sterilisation work had been affected amid outsourcing-related issues, with operations expected to resume after completion of the process.
Infrastructure and manpower constraints add to the challenge. Government disclosures have referred to two existing ABC centres with a combined kennel capacity of 121, while another centre at Ahal Chatterhama was reported to be under development. Recruitment-related notices for veterinary doctors, para-veterinarians and dog catchers were also issued in October.
However, residents say the effectiveness of the programme must be judged by the number of dogs sterilised daily and its measurable impact on the ground, rather than announcements of facilities and recruitment.
They have called for greater transparency from SMC on the number of operational veterinary teams, daily sterilisation figures, ward-wise coverage and the time-bound targets set for controlling the population.
Experts and residents also point out that sterilisation alone cannot address the problem. Sustained anti-rabies vaccination, humane animal handling, systematic monitoring and improved waste management are equally important. Unmanaged garbage and easily accessible food sources can attract and sustain large concentrations of stray dogs.
SMC needs to strengthen the programme through ward-wise population assessments, regular monitoring and public disclosure of monthly sterilisation and vaccination figures. Such data would help residents assess whether the intervention is delivering tangible results.
With every breeding cycle adding another generation, delays in implementing an effective programme risk widening the gap between the scale of the problem and the authorities’ response.
Residents are now seeking a sustained, scientifically planned and transparent strategy that produces visible results across Srinagar, rather than remaining confined to official reviews and assurances.