In a move to address the rising stray dog population in the twin city, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has approved a proposal to establish four dog shelters with a combined capacity of 4,000 stray dogs at Bhosari, Punawale, Shahu Nagar and Talawade, said the officials on Sunday.
“The project is expected to significantly strengthen the city’s infrastructure for managing stray animals. All four shelters are expected to become operational by September this year,” said Sandeep Khot, deputy commissioner of PCMC.
The civic officials said five acres of land belonging to the municipal corporation have been designated for the project, and around ₹10 crore will be allocated in the current financial year for the development of the shelters. The proposal has been cleared by the municipal commissioner.
As per officials, initially each shelter will have the capacity to house around 1,000 dogs and will also function as Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres, where stray dogs will be sterilised and vaccinated as part of the city’s animal population management programme.
Furthermore, for the project, two acres of land have been allotted at Bhosari, while one acre each has been allocated at Punawale, Shahu Nagar and Talawade. The veterinary department has taken possession of the land from the civic body to begin preparatory work.
The shelters will be constructed according to the guidelines prescribed by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), ensuring proper facilities for housing, treatment, sterilisation and rehabilitation of stray dogs.
The move comes after directions were issued by the state government after a recent order by the Supreme Court of India regarding stray dog management. Following the Supreme Court order, the state government on November 24, 2025, ordered local bodies to 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 dogs captured from these areas must not be released back.
Khot said the city has been facing increasing challenges due to the growing stray dog population. “Pimpri-Chinchwad currently has an estimated over one lakh stray dogs, which poses both public health and safety concerns. The new shelters will help us carry out mass sterilisation and vaccination programmes more effectively. The shelters will enable the civic body to systematically manage the stray dog population while complying with animal welfare norms. We aim to ensure humane management of stray animals while reducing the risk of dog bites and rabies transmission in the city,” he said.