The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is set to roll out a citywide drive for microchipping and mass vaccination of stray dogs, with tenders likely to be floated within the next 15 days, officials said on Friday.

In a first, the civic body is also set to conduct a comprehensive dog census through the microchipping drive. The exercise will record key details such as age, sex, colour, location (area and ward), vaccination status, and the NGO responsible for immunisation, they added.

An official told PTI that the exercise will begin within two months from the completion of the tendering process. “Once the proposal receives the commissioner’s approval, tenders will be floated to onboard an agency to carry out the exercise across all wards.” Officials further explained that preference will be given an agency with prior experience in animal microchipping and vaccination.

“Each dog will be implanted with a microchip about the size of a grain of rice, injected at the back of the neck. The ISO-certified chips, costing Rs 200-250 each, will carry a unique 15-digit identification number,” the official said.