Stray dogs at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay campus are now being fitted with special collars carrying QR codes that can provide information about their identity, location, vaccination status and medical history.

The system is intended to make it easier for students, staff and animal caretakers to identify individual dogs and access their records. A video shared on Instagram showed how the QR-enabled collars work, with a scan bringing up details associated with the tagged animal.

Digital Profiles Track Dogs Across Campus

In the video, a man points to a belt fitted around a dog’s neck with a QR code attached to it. “It has a QR code and a belt attached here. It is provided by an IIT Bombay technician; if you scan it, you can find out its Aadhaar ID, where it has roamed, its various locations, its current location, and its vaccination status,” he said.

The QR system effectively gives each tagged dog a digital identity. Scanning the code can reveal its unique identification number as well as information about where the animal is generally found across the Powai campus.

Previous locations where the dog has been scanned can also be recorded, creating a history of its movements and helping caretakers identify where the animal has been seen over time.

The digital profile also contains health-related information. “It has a vaccination certificate too,” a student said.

Health Records Could Aid Animal Care

Keeping identification, location and medical information together could help students and animal caretakers respond more efficiently when a dog requires treatment or other care.

The system could also reduce confusion on a large campus where several stray dogs may appear similar. A scannable tag can help users distinguish between individual animals and check their vaccination and treatment histories before providing care.

The IIT Bombay initiative comes as technology-based systems are increasingly being explored to manage stray dog populations and maintain records of vaccination and sterilisation.

BMC Also Introduces QR-Enabled Dog Collars

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) recently announced QR-enabled reflective collars for stray dogs in Mumbai. The civic body said the collars would help identify animals that have been vaccinated against rabies and sterilised.

The BMC also said information about the dogs could be digitally recorded and tracked through the system.

With IIT Bombay using a similar approach to maintain information on campus dogs, QR technology is offering a digital way to keep track of animals that might otherwise be difficult to identify individually.

In effect, the collars give the campus dogs their own digital identity, earning the system a simple description: a “doggy Aadhar”.

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