All-Round Concern As Cases of Attacks by Stray Dogs Rise in Hyderabad City

 Hyderabad: The stray dog menace is likely to take a turn for the worse in the days ahead as the canines will be irritated and agitated, unable to bear the summer heat due to which they may suddenly attack passerby, including children, the most vulnerable targets.

Deccan Chronicle has been alerting civic authorities, through its columns, on the need for precautionary measures even before summer sets in.

Reports are already coming in from across the city about attacks by stray dog and the long queues of victims at hospitals for treatment.

A stray attacked seven persons in a single day at Sri Krishna nagar in Peerzadiguda.

One of the victims, Archana, a private employee, said, “I was sitting near my house. This dog suddenly attacked me and my hand was wounded. I was rushed to the local clinic from where I was taken to institute of preventive medicine (IPM) in Narayanguda, where I was administered rabies immunoglobulin. The same dog bit another six people on the same day. We have been bearing this menace for several years. All our representations to the civic authorities have been futile exercises.”

Meanwhile, T.S.V.N. Thrilleshwar Rao, commissioner Peerzadiguda, told Deccan Chronicle, “Our veterinary department is actively taking part in the animal birth control programme within permissible limits along with an NGO. Relocating strays is illegal. We will not take any such steps.”

According to Dr Shiva Leela, director, IPM, “Cases of dog bites are on the rise. People have to be careful. The temperatures are unusual and this infuriates all canines.”

IPM data shows that there were 2973 dog bite incidents in January; 2640 in February and 2853 last month.