STREET DOG MENACE
It needs some stroke of luck for a Thiruvananthapuram native to return home at night without getting bitten by a stray dog. Conditions in other parts of the state are not much different from those in the capital city. Over the past week, at least a hundred people in Thiruvananthapuram have fallen victim to attacks by stray and pet dogs. In Poonthura, 18 people were bitten by a pet dog. On Monday night, a dog broke free from its tether, ran onto the road, and bit anyone it encountered. Fishermen and elderly women were the primary targets of the attack, though children were also bitten. Three individuals sustained severe bite injuries.
This dog will be subjected to a rabies test. Although there are directives to administer timely anti-rabies vaccinations to pet dogs, many owners fail to comply. Alongside the nuisance caused by pet dogs, attacks by strays have also surged in the city.
In the Kazhakkoottam area—specifically at Narikkal, Kattaikonam—ten people, including an elderly woman and a migrant worker, were bitten within a span of three hours; three others were bitten in Neyyattinkara. The attacks in Narikkal occurred between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM, with the dogs roaming a radius of about one kilometre from a side road near St. Thomas School and attacking people. The dogs also attacked domestic animals such as cows and buffaloes. Locals report that despite informing the municipality about the attacks, no officials arrived until the afternoon. Residents eventually beat two of the most aggressive dogs to death.
Even the international tourist destination of Kovalam is going through the same ordeal. There were reports of tourists and lifeguards getting bitten by strays. Complaints have also arisen that, instead of being released back to their original locations or housed in shelters after sterilisation, dogs are being dumped at Kovalam beach.
R.A. Saran, a sixth-grade student from Kilimanoor, underwent surgery at SAT Hospital after a stray dog attacked him and bit off his right-hand finger; the severed finger has not yet been found. It is pointed out that the delay in the process of sterilising and gradually relocating them to shelters has led to the surge in the stray dog menace across the city.
The situation is such that to walk the streets of Thiruvananthapuram, one requires courage. Merely providing compensation to victims is not a solution. The law currently permits the capture and culling of nuisance dogs; the municipality and the government must be prepared to implement this effectively. The recent rise in the stray dog population is attributed to the dumping of food waste—including meat—on the streets. Addressing the waste management issue alone would largely mitigate the severity of the stray dog problem. The High Court has also recently clarified that the government bears responsibility if people are bitten in public places. Authorities must take immediate, war-footing measures to curb the stray dog menace, which has evolved into a serious social hazard.
Source: https://keralakaumudi.com/en/editorial/editorial/editorial-1806794