Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has revealed that the city is home to 47,126 stray dogs, following a first-of-its-kind comprehensive census conducted within its jurisdiction.
The enumeration, carried out in two phases between September 18 and 25, covered all 67 wards of the city. Teams conducted the survey each morning from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., mapping every street and lane to ensure accuracy, officials said.
According to the findings, 23,047 of the dogs are male, 15,552 female, and 1,124 are puppies. Of these, 4,068 male and 3,335 female dogs have already been sterilized under the city’s animal birth control programme.
Among all wards, Ward 23 recorded the highest stray population at 1,703, followed by Ward 6 with 1,062.
Notably, Bhubaneswar’s stray dog density stands at 36 per 1,000 residents, more than three times the national average of 11 per 1,000, as per the 20th National Livestock Census conducted by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying.