Gorakhpur: Gorakhpur Municipal Corporation (GMC) is set to introduce a microchipping system for stray and abandoned dogs. The initiative is in compliance with Supreme Court directives on animal management and welfare, officials said.Municipal officials said the civic body floated a tender for the fourth time to select an agency for the project, after three previous attempts failed to attract bidders. The selected firm is expected to be finalised by Aug 14.Under the programme, each dog will be implanted with a microchip carrying a unique identification number. The chip will be linked to a digital database containing details such as sterilisation status, anti-rabies vaccination records, health condition and behavioural history.Officials said the system will help track how many dogs have already been sterilised and vaccinated, preventing duplication of procedures and enabling better monitoring of animal birth control programmes. The database will also record instances of aggressive behaviour, helping authorities identify areas with a higher incidence of dog attacks and focus intervention measures accordingly.The civic body believes the technology-driven approach will improve planning for vaccination, treatment, feeding and shelter management. It will also help identify owners who abandon pet dogs on the streets, as microchip records can be used to trace ownership.GMC animal welfare officer Robin Chandra said the digital tracking system would make stray dog management more organised and effective by maintaining comprehensive records of the animals’ health, population and behaviour.
