From chicken rice promise to adoption appeal: GBA struggles to manage Bengaluru’s stray dogs

After announcing daily chicken rice for stray dogs, the Greater Bengaluru Authority is now urging citizens and housing societies to adopt them, raising questions over funding, planning and the sudden shift in policy.

The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) is facing sharp criticism over its handling of stray dog management, with its much-publicised “chicken rice” feeding plan now giving way to an adoption appeal. What began as a welfare promise has turned into an administrative struggle, exposing gaps in planning and funding.

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Earlier, GBA had announced that every stray dog in the city would be fed chicken rice daily, allocating ₹102 per dog per day. Officials had even estimated a monthly cost of ₹3,035 per dog for care and feeding. The announcement was projected as a humane solution to manage the growing stray dog population.

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ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಪೂರ್ವ ನಗರ ಪಾಲಿಕೆ@GBA_office@GBAChiefComm#AdoptStreetDogs#AnimalWelfare#BeResponsiblepic.twitter.com/71PwwyzC3s

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However, the authority is now struggling to implement the scheme. Unable to continue the chicken rice feeding programme smoothly, GBA has issued a public notice urging people to adopt stray dogs. The appeal has been extended to the general public, animal welfare organisations and apartment associations.

Following the Bengaluru Central zone, the East zone civic body has also joined the campaign, requesting citizens to come forward and take responsibility for stray dogs. The sudden shift has triggered questions over whether the civic body has run out of funds for dog management.

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Critics are asking how GBA announced such a costly scheme without ensuring financial sustainability. If feeding dogs chicken rice has become difficult, they question the basis on which the decision was taken in the first place.

Interestingly, animal lovers who had earlier accused authorities of cruelty and alleged misuse of funds under the chicken rice scheme are now hesitant to adopt the dogs themselves. Despite public appeals, the response to the adoption drive has been poor.