A stray dog in Ahmedabad has undergone life-saving surgery after veterinarians removed three kilograms of plastic, mostly milk packets, from its stomach. The operation was carried out at a hospital run by Jivdaya Charitable Trust (JCT), after a passer-by from Paldi, a local area, brought the canine in for treatment.
The dog had an abnormally swollen abdomen, initially leading the medical team to suspect a tumour or a severe infection. However, X-ray and sonography scans revealed a stomach filled with plastic bags, ingested while scavenging for food in rubbish heaps.
“This is not an isolated case,” said Gira Shah, trustee at JCT. “We have also come across cases of stray cows carrying kilos of plastic in their bellies. In most cases, people stuff plastic bags with garbage and discard them in bins or in the open. Hungry strays rummage through them in search of food and end up consuming plastic.”
Ahmedabad generates an estimated 300 metric tonnes of plastic waste daily, much of which is dumped in open spaces, posing a severe threat to wildlife and stray animals.
In response to the growing crisis, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has announced plans to enforce mandatory waste segregation from October 2025. Under the initiative, residents and businesses will be required to separate their waste before disposal.
However, concerns remain as Mount Pirana, the city’s largest landfill, continues to expand.
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