Pune To Get Two New Dog Shelters At Bhugaon & Shindewadi; 50% Construction Completed

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is establishing dog shelters at two locations in the city that can collectively accommodate 1,000 canines. The dog shelters are being built at Bhugaon and Shindewadi, each capable of housing up to 5,000 stray dogs. The two shelter houses are expected to become operational in a month’s time.

This follows a recent government resolution (GR) directing all local bodies to capture, sterilise and vaccinate stray dogs found in public places before releasing them at locations different from where they were found.

“We have developed two large shelters, one at Bhugaon and the other at Shindewadi, each capable of housing up to 5,000 stray dogs. The two shelter houses will be completed in a month’s time,” said Dr Sarika Funde-Bhosale, Chief Veterinary Officer, PMC.

Besides this, the PMC will also establish dog shelters at three locations that can collectively accommodate 200 canines (Naidu, Baner and Mundhwa). All five shelters are expected to become operational in the next few months, officials said.

On November 24, the Supreme Court (SC) directed the state government that local bodies should immediately capture, sterilise and vaccinate stray dogs found near sensitive public locations such as educational institutions, public and private hospitals, sports complexes, bus depots, interstate bus terminals and railway stations. The guidelines also directed that the dogs be released at places different from where they were picked up after sterilisation and vaccination.

In the future, 20 shelters for canines will be set up at different locations in the city. For this, expenses of over ₹20 crore are likely to be incurred. “A proposal for the same has been submitted to the PMC commissioner,” said Dr Nina Borade, Health Chief of the PMC.