Bhubaneswar: The civic authorities in the Odisha capital here today signed an MoU with the Mission Rabies India – Worldwide Veterinary Service and the College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry, OUAT, to scale up the anti-rabies vaccination of stray dogs.

The tripartite agreement was signed in the presence of Mayor Sulochana Das, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Chanchal Rana, and senior officials of the Mission Rabies India – Worldwide Veterinary Service and College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry, OUAT.

The civic authorities have set a target to make Bhubaneswar a rabies-free city. The Mission Rabies India – Worldwide Veterinary Service will work as the technical partner and the College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry, OUAT will work as the scientific advisor in this regard, said the BMC.

“The initiative aims to achieve a rabies-free city through mass anti-rabies vaccination of stray dogs, strengthening public health and animal welfare across Bhubaneswar, it added.

It is worth mentioning here that a first-of-its-kind survey had found altogether 47,126 stray dogs in the capital in 2025. The survey was conducted in two phases between September 18 and 25 last year.