Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) is planning to float tenders for hiring an agency that would sterilise stray dogs, in a bid to cut down on their numbers and also protect residents from being bitten.

Dr Ajit Kumar, secretary, Canine Club of Bihar, told The Telegraph there are at least 15,000 stray dogs in Patna.

Ravindra Kumar Verma, chief engineer, PMC, said: “We had floated tenders last year inviting non-government organisations and individuals to catch stray dogs and sterilise them but the initiative failed.”

He could not specify a date when the PMC would float the tenders though.