India, Nov. 8 -- Following directions given by municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram to tag all stray dogs within the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits for better identification and monitoring, the corporation on Friday started implanting microchips in stray canines, becoming the first civic body in Maharashtra to launch such an initiative.

The project - implemented through the PMC's veterinary department and conducted by the Universal Animal Welfare Trust, the NGO appointed for the ABC programmes by the civic body - began on Friday at the Katraj Animal Birth Control Centre. Microchips were successfully implanted in three stray dogs during their sterilisation and vaccination procedures, officials said.

Dr Sarika Funde-Bhosale, ...