“The number of dog bites have increased in the city and, therefore, new measures have to be taken to tackle the issue,” Additional Municipal Commissioner Sudhir Khanapure said. “A pilot project is being planned to address the problem,” he said, adding that the PMC has identified the upmarket Koregaon Park ward for implementation of the project as the maximum numbers of dog bite cases were reported from the area.

The PMC will initially undertake the study of dogs in the area, that will include the census and detailed information on the sterilisation of dogs with their photographs, said animal activist Manoj Oswal, who has been roped in by the PMC for planning of the pilot project.

He said the biggest benefit of the project is that the catching, sterilisation, vaccinating and relieving the dog would be done in one day as against the five days in the present scenario. “The technique of catching the dog will be changed,” Oswal said, adding that the rope method will be replaced by the use of butterfly nets. “It is less stressful to dogs and safer for the dog-catchers.”

Along with sterilisation and vaccinating the dogs, he said the detailed information of dogs would include the location of each dog as they move in a certain area, their colour, age and gender, Oswal said. He said special attention will be given to puppies. The project also includes contacting the sources for human anti-rabies vaccine in the area for information on dog bites in the pilot area.