The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has launched a new canine management program at Chennai International Airport to better control the presence of stray dogs at the terminals. As part of the initiative, two dedicated dog handlers have been deployed to oversee the situation.
Currently, there are over 40 stray dogs at the airport. While about 15 of these dogs stay on-site, the others come and go in search of food. Passengers and visitors have often raised concerns about feeling unsafe due to the large number of stray dogs loitering around.
To address these concerns, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), in collaboration with Blue Cross, regularly carries out vaccination and animal birth control programs for the dogs at the airport. However, AAI has now teamed up with the NGO People for Animals (PFA) for more effective management.
Under this program, the two dog handlers will feed the strays in designated areas during two shifts. AAI officials stated, “These community dogs are attracted to the airport because passengers and workers often feed them. The handlers will discourage this feeding by the public. As per animal welfare board guidelines, the dogs cannot be relocated.”
In addition to feeding the dogs, the handlers will monitor any new dogs entering the premises and notify the GCC for necessary birth control measures.
Despite the initiative, some frequent flyers have expressed frustration. “There are so many improvements needed at Chennai airport for passengers, yet the authorities are focusing on stray dogs instead,” said C. Vignesh, a frequent traveler. Another passenger pointed out that the airport’s pickup point has been a major issue for over a year, but AAI has not taken proactive steps to address it.
Animal rights activists, however, support the program. “We proposed this initiative after a survey revealed that passengers were feeding the dogs in random areas,” said K. Ramesh from PFA.