Panvel– In a groundbreaking initiative, the Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) has completed an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based survey of stray dogs and cats in its jurisdiction. This first-of-its-kind digital survey aims to facilitate vaccination, sterilization, and rabies control efforts.
Municipal Commissioner Mangesh Chitale stated that PMC has become India’s first civic body to employ AI for stray animal data collection. The survey, conducted by Indicare AI Solutions Pvt. Ltd., recorded 19,307 stray dogs and 5,080 stray cats across Panvel.
Deputy Commissioner Dr. Vaibhav Vidhate stressed that the collected data will help make Panvel rabies-free by enabling efficient micro-planning for sterilization and vaccination drives. The survey included details such as photographs, gender, age, and health conditions of the animals, making identification easier in case of dog bite incidents.
Since launching its sterilisation program in 2018, PMC has successfully sterilised 44% of the stray dog population. According to Medical Health Officer Dr. Anand Gosavi and veterinary officers Dr. Bhagwan Gite and Dr. Madhulika Lad, the survey results confirm that Panvel currently has 10,270 adult dogs, around 1,800 puppies, and 1,440 elderly dogs.
A Step Towards a Rabies-Free City
“This initiative will play a vital role in controlling the stray animal population and preventing rabies outbreaks,” said Commissioner Mangesh Chitale. The AI-driven approach sets a precedent for other municipalities across India to adopt similar technology-driven solutions for animal management.