LUCKNOW The UP government is set to replicate the ‘Lucknow Model’ for dog population control across the state while also complying fully with the Supreme Court’s directive on the release of stray canines, said authorities on Friday.
“We are proud that the ‘Lucknow Model’ has been recognised at the national level. It shows what a focused, humane and well-executed policy can achieve. We are committed to implementing this approach across the state, while also complying fully with the Supreme Court’s directions. The challenge is large, but so is our resolve,” stated a high ranking officer in the UP government.
After the Supreme Court on Friday stayed the earlier August 11 order on stray dogs, directing that while dogs would still be picked up, they will be released back upon sterilisation and immunisation, UP’s urban development department is bracing for the implementation of this directive.
Six years after the animal birth control (ABC) programme was launched in the state capital, its impact is now being recognised at the highest levels, with petitioners in Supreme Court citing it as a success.
To support this expansion, a dedicated training centre and an additional ABC unit are being established in Lucknow. This centre will train veterinary surgeons, civic officials and support staff in the city’s proven methodology — from the humane capture of stray dogs to their sterilisation, vaccination and safe release back into their original territories.
Since the initiation of the ABC programme in September 2019, the stray dog birth rate has dropped from 8 newborns per 100 dogs to under 4 in 2025. While the overall stray population grew — from 75,000 to 1.2 lakh — due to the city’s expanding boundaries, the percentage of sterilised dogs increased from 4.9% to 78–83%. Each day, 60–65 dogs are operated upon and marked with a V-notch, and lactating females in the population have dropped from 13% to just 2%, indicating real-time population control, according to civic officials.
Though the cost of sterilisation per dog has risen from ₹950 to ₹1,250, over 28,000 dog-related complaints have been resolved, reflecting both improved public safety and administrative efficiency.
Currently, UP has 17 operational ABC centres, with two more — one in Lucknow and another in Ghaziabad — slated to open soon. With an estimated 12 lakh stray dogs across the 17 municipal corporations, the Lucknow Model is now set to guide a coordinated statewide effort to control the stray population using humane, systematic methods.
In the Supreme Court recently, the Lucknow and Dehradun models were cited as national benchmarks in a case focused on humane stray dog management. Petitioners and animal welfare groups highlighted the effectiveness of sterilisation and vaccination campaigns under the ABC Rules, 2023. Alternatives like chemical castration were also proposed as potentially viable options, which the ‘Lucknow Model’ has focussed.
The court ruled that feeding stray dogs will not be permitted on the streets and directed municipal authorities of Delhi-NCR to create dedicated spaces for it. It laid down stringent measures, including defining “aggressive” dogs.
Urban development department officials confirmed that budget constraints will not hinder sterilisation efforts, and that all Supreme Court orders will be implemented in letter and spirit. So far, 2.84 lakh dogs have been sterilised and vaccinated in UP, including 1.25 lakh in 2023–24 and 1.19 lakh in 2024–25. Between April 1 and July 15, 2025, the programme has continued to show robust progress.