The document outlines Chennai's efforts over several decades to become rabies-free by stopping the inhumane electrocution of stray dogs and instead implementing an ABC (animal birth control) program. Key events include the Blue Cross of India requesting more humane lethal injection in 1964, setting up the first free ABC center in 1966, the mayor stopping all dog killings in Chennai in 1996 and converting the electrocution room to a surgery, and Chennai being declared rabies-free in 2010.

1. Making Chennai Rabies-Free
S. Chinny Krishna
Chairman Emeritus
Blue Cross of India

2. Horrific killing of a stray dog by electric ution

3. 1964
Horrified by what we saw, our
first request to the Corporation is
to change the equipment to
ensure the current passes
through the brain and not just
the heart and body

4. 1964
The Blue Cross requests the
Corporation and the Government
to stop the electrocution and go
in for lethal injection

5. 1964
The study by the Blue Cross
shows that not only is the
electrocution cruel to the dogs
and dehumanising to the
workers, it is also totally
ineffective

6. 1966
Blue Cross sets up its
first free ABC centre
at Bazlullah Road

7. 1966-1995
A sucession of Mayors and
Corporation Commissioners
promise to do something but
nothing gets done

8. 1995
M Abul Hassan , IAS
appointed
Commissioner of
Chennai Corporation
Visits dog pound and
stops the killing in a
part of South Madras

9. September 1996
Impressed with the
coverage of ABC in the
allocated area , Mayor
Abul Hassan stops the
killing in entire Madras

10. October 1996
The electrocution room
in the dog pound is
converted in to an ABC
surgery by the
Corporation.

11. 1996
.

12. 2004
TCV comes into
general use

13. 2010
Chennai declared
rabies-free

14. 2013
Is Chennai rabies-free ?