Navi Mumbai, March 16 -- As artificial intelligence (AI) sparks debates across the globe, one could not have imagined that it would also meddle into the lives of stray dogs. However, based on an AI survey of stray animal population, the Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) has identified 40 designated feeding points for stray dogs across the city, said civic officials. The move aims to regulate feeding practices, improve sanitation and reduce conflicts between residents and animal feeders. The feeding points were finalised after the PMC conducted an AI-based digital survey of stray animals through IndieCare AI Solutions Pvt. Ltd. Explicitly excluding pet dogs to ensure an accurate count, the survey recorded 19,307 free-roaming dogs and 5,080 stray cats within the Panvel municipal limits. Each animal was assigned a unique identification number, similar to an Aadhaar ID, allowing the civic body to track its precise location, vaccination record, and sterilisation history. The digital mapping also recorded physical attributes, such as age, gender, size, colour, and breed, along with behavioural characteristics like whether a dog is "trap-shy" or "trap-eager". Officials said the AI survey, conducted at a cost of around Rs.19 lakh, created a robust digital database. According to the survey findings, 44% of the stray dogs in the city have already been sterilised since the launch of the civic body's Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme in 2018. Officials from the civic body's veterinary health department said stray dogs are often fed at public places such as roadsides and housing society entrances, leading to complaints related to littering and hygiene. The designated feeding zones are intended to streamline feeding activities while allowing animal lovers to continue feeding stray dogs in a regulated manner. Civic officials noted that Panvel is among the first municipal corporations in India to use AI to digitally map stray animals for targeted medical treatment and population control. "The veterinary department has identified 40 locations within the municipal limits where stray dogs can be fed in a controlled manner, and ensure better monitoring and management of stray animals," a civic veterinary department official said. Officials said the initiative is also in line with Supreme Court directions asking civic bodies to identify designated feeding spots for stray dogs to minimise conflict between residents and animal feeders....