The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will finally do a headcount of the city’s stray dogs. With activists and citizens questioning the effectiveness of the civic body’s sterilisation programme, the BMC’s veterinary department decided to carry out a canine census last year. The proposal in this regard is on the verge of being approved.

The entire cost of the endeavour is Rs 12.67 lakh. “We are in the process of getting administrative approval for the proposal. As soon as this happens, we begin the headcount of dogs,” said an official. “This time, we will use a GPS-based method to help us find out the dog population on each street. This data will help us with regard to the sterilisation programme,” the official added.