Archive · 12 Aug 2026
Chennai launches anti-rabies drive to vaccinate two lakh stray dogs
Chennai wants to become a city free from rabies, a dangerous disease that can spread from dogs to people.
The city has started a big programme to help stray dogs, which are dogs that live on the streets.
Special teams catch the dogs using nets and give them a vaccine that protects them from rabies.
The dogs also get medicine for worms and other tiny parasites.
Each dog is marked with safe coloured paint so everyone can see it has been helped.
After that, the dogs are let go in the same place where they were found.
The programme plans to help about two hundred thousand dogs within 75 working days.
Thirty teams will work together to vaccinate around three thousand dogs every day.
People who have pet dogs and cats can also get free vaccines to protect their animals.
The campaign started in three areas of Chennai and will later cover the whole city.
Greater Chennai Corporation launched a mass anti-rabies vaccination and deworming drive targeting about two lakh stray dogs across Chennai.
The campaign aims to make Chennai rabies-free, with 30 veterinary teams vaccinating around 3,000 stray dogs daily within 75 working days.
The first phase began in Tiruvottiyur, Manali and Tondiarpet zones (referred to as Zones 1, 2 and 4), before expanding to all zones.
Stray dogs are caught with nets, vaccinated, treated for internal and external parasites, marked with vegetable dye and released at the same location.
Free anti-rabies vaccination is offered for pet dogs and cats, with support from Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University and Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS).
- Who
- Greater Chennai Corporation, with veterinarians and trainees from Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University and Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS)
- What
- A mass anti-rabies vaccination and deworming campaign for stray dogs
- When
- Launched on Tuesday, planned to run over 75 working days
- Where
- Chennai; first phase in Tiruvottiyur, Manali and Tondiarpet zones (Zones 1, 2 and 4), later expanding to all zones
- Why
- To make Chennai rabies-free and reduce the risk of rabies transmission
- Target
- Around two lakh stray dogs
- Duration
- 75 working days
- Daily target
- Around 3,000 stray dogs (about 100 per team)
- Teams deployed
- 30 veterinary teams
- First-phase zones
- Tiruvottiyur, Manali and Tondiarpet (Zones 1, 2 and 4)
- Last year's coverage
- 1,47,545 stray dogs vaccinated and dewormed
- Free vaccination for
- Pet dogs and cats
- Partners
- Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS)
