Chennai Corporation Launches Mass Immunisation Drive for Dogs Amid Rabies Concerns

In response to five reported cases of rabies in zones like Royapuram, Tiruvottiyur, Perungudi, and Madhavaram this year, the Chennai Corporation is set to commence a mass immunization drive for approximately one lakh dogs in the city over the next month. The initiative comes after a recent incident in Royapuram where a rabid dog attacked 28 residents.

The affected individuals are being monitored and have received the necessary doses of the human anti-rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin. Following the positive rabies test of the dog, a comprehensive combing operation in wards 49, 50, and 52 resulted in the capture of 83 dogs, with 52 currently under observation.

The Corporation plans to modernize animal birth control centers in Pulianthope, Kannamapet, and Lloyds Road by April, anticipating an increase in annual sterilizations from 16,000 to 26,000. After the completion of the mass immunization drive, dogs are expected to be immune to rabies for at least one year. Despite residents’ requests for removal and relocation, officials emphasize immunization and sterilization as the primary strategy for managing stray dogs.