KATHMANDU, Oct 10: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has started a neutering campaign for controlling the population of community dogs from today. After receiving complaints about the lack of dog management, KMC started a sterilization and vaccination campaign against rabies.

The program is now underway in KMC wards 4, 7, 9, 11, 14, 15, 25, 31, and 32. Over the next three months, KMC plans to permanently sterilize 5,800 dogs and vaccinate 16,000 against rabies. In contrast to previous years when similar efforts proved ineffective, KMC aims to adopt a more systematic approach this time.

Nine different organizations are collaborating to achieve this goal, mobilizing teams of 50 people each day to neuter around 200 dogs daily.

Permanent sterilization of dogs to prevent uncontrolled reproduction is the most important and effective method of controlling the number of dogs. Since surgical sterilization is permanent and useful for both male and female dogs, it is the most widely used method.

"The main objective and method of community dog management is to control the number of dogs and thereby reduce the problem," Awadhesh Jha, the head of the KMC Agriculture Department said. It is estimated that there are currently 22,000 community dogs in Kathmandu. Community dogs are more aggressive in the evening and at night than in the morning, afternoon or daylight. It has been said that the number of community dogs has increased recently due to the habit of abandoning pet dogs on the streets after they are ill/disabled or have other problems and the uncontrolled breeding of dogs on the streets.

According to the National Civil Code, 2017, if someone beats, hits, carries a heavy load to the point that they are unable to carry it or feeding harmful substances or inflicts any other kind of torture on them, the punishment is imprisonment up to three months or a fine of Rs 5,000 or both.

 
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