A pilot programme to implant microchips in stray dogs has been introduced in Homagama, allowing authorities to maintain digital records of their rabies vaccinations, sterilisation and other important health information.
The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Homagama Pradeshiya Sabha as part of ongoing efforts to control the stray dog population and prevent rabies.
A veterinary official involved in the programme said microchips would be implanted in dogs captured for vaccination and sterilisation, enabling authorities to identify the animals and access their medical histories through a database.
The system will allow officials to determine whether a dog has been vaccinated against rabies, when the vaccinations were administered and whether the animal has undergone sterilisation.
According to the official, the information could also assist health authorities when a person is bitten by a dog, as the animal’s vaccination history can be checked by scanning its microchip.
The official said Sri Lanka currently spends substantial amounts on administering rabies vaccines to people following dog bites, particularly when the vaccination history of the animal is unknown.
He explained that the proposed database could help improve decision-making and avoid unnecessary expenditure on treatment where medical assessment determines it is not required.
However, a dog’s vaccination history alone cannot establish that a bite victim is safe from rabies, and anyone bitten must seek prompt medical assessment for post-exposure treatment.
The official said annual human rabies deaths, which had exceeded 100 around 10 to 15 years ago, had declined to approximately 15 in recent years, largely due to increased vaccination of people exposed to potentially infected animals.
He also highlighted the importance of regular sterilisation programmes to control stray dog populations, noting that significant reductions may take five to six years to become visible.
The Homagama project is intended to demonstrate how microchip identification and digital record-keeping could support animal population management and rabies prevention.
The official said a similar system could eventually be expanded to other local authorities across Sri Lanka, allowing councils to maintain reliable records of vaccinated and sterilised dogs.
He stressed that effective stray dog management required carefully planned and repeated vaccination and sterilisation programmes, rather than isolated campaigns. (Newswire)