LUCKNOW: UP vaccinated against rabies and sterilised 2.8 lakh stray dogs under its animal birth control (ABC) programme in 2023-24 and 2024-25. It also established 17 permanent ABC centres, with two additional ones approved for Lucknow and Ghaziabad on a comprehensive budget of Rs 34 crore.Taking note of SC’s latest directive on managing dog bite cases, urban development dept is taking proactive steps to enhance urban safety and animal welfare through its ABC and anti-rabies vaccination programmes, implemented in all 17 municipal corporations. As part of the ABC programme, Uttar Pradesh sterilised and vaccinated 1.2 lakh stray dogs in 2023-24 and 1.2 lakh in 2024-25. To prevent dog bites, the department is raising public awareness. Citizens havebeen urged to report aggressive or unwell dogs to localauthorities or to the dedicated helpline (1,533).