Mumbai: After stray dogs, it’s the turn of stray cats in the city to be sterilised by the Brihanmumbai Muni-cipal Corporation (BMC). The civic body has asked the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to include stray cats in the sterilisation drive.
According to BMC officials, the sterilisation of stray dogs is carried out as per Animal Production Control (dogs) guidelines (2001) under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1996. The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has laid down guidelines for the sterilisation of dogs and accordingly, stray dogs are sterilised. As per Animal Birth Control Rules, 2001, under section 38 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, only stray dogs are neutered, vaccinated against rabies, and released back into the areas from where they were captured. However, there is a need to prepare guidelines and rules for the sterilisation of stray cats, too. Unlike dogs which reproduce once in six months, cats go into heat multiple times a year.
A senior civic official said, “The BMC has asked the AWBI to include stray cats, too, in the Animal Production Control Programme (APCP), and prepare guidelines for the same. After stray cats are included in the APCP and guidelines are framed, the BMC will carry out their sterilisation.”
The animal census in the BMC jurisdiction is being carried out by the animal husbandry department of the state government. Since it does not include the computation of stray cats, there is no data available on the number of stray cats in Mumbai, said civic officials.
Shiv Sena corporator Anil Patankar had demanded that the BMC carry out sterilisation of stray cats on the lines of stray dogs, and also vaccinate them against rabies.
“There are a large number of stray cats in slums and chawls. But the BMC takes no preventive measures to control their numbers. Cat bites are on the rise. To prevent this, the BMC should carry out the sterilisation of stray cats in the city,” said Mr Patankar.
