Stray Dogs Being Microchipped To Avoid Vaccine Duplication: BBMP Tells Karnataka HC, Court Declines To Stay Chip Implant Proposal

The Karnataka High Court on Monday (February 10) refused to stay the Request for Proposal (RFP) floated by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for procuring and implanting microchip readers in the bodies of stray dogs in the city.

A division bench of Chief Justice N V Anjaria and Justice M I Arun posted the matter for further hearing on March 20 and directed the BBMP to file its reply to the petition filed by Save our Animals Charitable Trust (SOACT).

Counsel for the corporation submitted that “Microchipping of stray dogs in Bengaluru is being done so that vaccination is not duplicated. Today, vaccination is being done but we do not know at any given point of time which dogs are vaccinated and which have not been. Therefore as a pilot project based on internationally available guidelines, we started microchipping and did it for about 20,000 dogs and it has proved effective.”

He added “This is to stop duplication of vaccination and more effective penetration of vaccination. This has nothing to do with Animal Birth Control Rules.”

Further, it was said that the Central Government has started an anti-rabies programme, and their idea is that by 2025, rabies should be eradicated. One of the only effective means to achieve that target is to have this vaccination of dogs done on a wider scale with a deeper penetration.

To a query raised by the court about where the microchip would be put in the dogs the corporation's counsel said “The microchip is inside the skin of the dog and not open to the vagaries of weather. If in a human body a pacemaker can be put....The microchip is less than a normal needle we use for injecting.”

Further, the court was informed that the last date of tender was over and the petitioners have not challenged the same and neither pointed out in the petition which rule has been violated. It was said “In the tender itself we have included that processing will be subject to the outcome of this petition. We have taken all the care.”

The counsel for the petitioner claimed that the tender is flawed and it is a financial racket and alleged illegal NGOs against whom enquiries are pending, were being favoured. Thus he sought a stay until the next date of hearing.

However, the court said, “Nothing, sorry. Relist on March 20.”

The plea seeks to quash the RFP dates 29.02.2024 and direct the Corporation to follow the animal birth control rules, 2023 while issuing tender notifications and immediately stay the pilot project of microchipping of street dogs being carried out in Bangalore. The plea also sought the court to impose a heavy cost on the corporation.

Earlier a similar petition filed by one Priyadarshaini S was dismissed for noncompliance of office objections.

Case Title: SAVE OUR ANIMALS CHARITABLE TRUST (SOACT) AND Union of India & Others

Case No: WP 29002/2024