Around 40K dogs sterilised in Noida since 2017: Official

New Delhi: Around 40,000 dogs have been sterilised in Noida since 2017, an official said on Tuesday, as debate intensified over checking the canine menance after an infant was mauled to death by

a stray.

While no official census was available for the count of dogs, the Noida Authority officials estimated their numbers to be around 60,000.

Residents believe efforts to check random feedings points for strays can also help prevent incidents of dog bites while the officials are focussing on sterilisation.

Amid rising cases of human-dog conflicts, the Noida Authority had in September announced setting up four shelter homes for

strays.

"Amid rising cases of dog bites, instructions have been issued to set up shelter homes for stray dogs in collaboration with RWAs around various sectors. Instructions have been issued for feeding of stray dogs in consultation with RWAs," the authority had said in a statement on September 23.

According to officials, the shelter homes are under preparation and should be ready within a month.

"Around 40,000 dogs have been sterilised since 2017. There is no official census but Noida is estimated to have around 60,000 stray dogs," a Noida Authority

official said.

Noida Federation of Apartment Owners Associations (NOFAA) president Rajiva Singh said Noida Authority had some time back agreed that there would be stray feeding points outside

societies.