India, Dec. 10 -- The Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced it will expedite the sterilisation of stray dogs by increasing the number of animal birth control (ABC) centres across cities. The government informed the legislative assembly that there are 1,188,281 stray dogs across the 29 municipal corporations, but only 105 ABC centres. Mumbai alone has 90,757 stray dogs, but just eight ABC centres or shelters.

The government shared the data in response to a Calling Attention Motion moved by MLAs Atul Bhatkhalkar, Chetan Tupe, Mahesh Landge and others in the legislative assembly on Tuesday regarding the rising incidents of stray dog bites and rabies-related deaths.

Speaking in the assembly, Bhatkhalkar asked what steps were being tak...