The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's (BBMP) South City Corporation has approved a significant monthly expenditure for the care of stray dogs relocated to shelters. The civic body has set a budget of Rs 3,035 per dog every month to ensure their well-being in designated facilities.
Breaking Down the Monthly Cost Per Dog
This calculated amount of Rs 3,035 is not an arbitrary figure. Officials have arrived at this sum after a detailed consideration of various operational expenses essential for humane animal management. The comprehensive cost covers several critical components required to maintain shelter standards and animal welfare.
The major cost heads include manpower salaries for caretakers and administrative staff, routine and emergency medical procedures like vaccinations and treatments, and general administrative overheads for running the facilities. This structured financial plan aims to provide a systematic approach to the city's long-standing challenge of managing its stray dog population.
A New Framework for Animal Welfare
The decision, reported on 23 December 2025, marks a formalized effort by the Bengaluru civic authorities to address the issue with a dedicated budgetary allocation. By assigning a specific cost per animal, the corporation is instituting a measurable framework for its animal welfare and urban management initiatives.
This per-dog budget is expected to fund essential services that ensure the shifted strays receive proper care, thereby also addressing public health concerns and mitigating human-animal conflict in residential areas. The move signifies a shift towards more institutionalized and accountable animal care practices within the city's administration.
Implications for Bengaluru's Urban Management
The policy has broader implications for urban governance in Bengaluru. It reflects an acknowledgment of the stray animal issue as a significant civic matter requiring planned financial resources. The allocation sets a precedent for how municipal bodies can budget for non-human residents, balancing animal welfare with public space management.
While the plan details the cost for dogs once they are in shelters, it also indirectly highlights the larger, ongoing efforts needed for animal birth control (ABC) programs, vaccination drives, and community awareness. The success of this shelter cost model will likely be watched closely by other Indian cities facing similar challenges with stray animal populations.
