t's an issue that has been debated and analysed for years, with no positive outcome as stray dogs continue to prowl the city, chasing bikers and howling into the quiet of the night as people in their neighbourhoods remain resigned to their presence. So where is the city going wrong in tackling the problem of stray dogs, which only seem to be multiplying in number despite so-called measures to contain their population?
Former head of the BBMP’s animal husbandry department, Dr Pervez Ahmed Piran, squarely blames the filth in the city for the growing stray dog presence on its streets
“The population of the stray dogs could be curbed if the black spots in the city are removed and the Animal Birth Control(ABC) programme is enforced more effectively. Stray dogs find safe havens in garbage dumps, black spots and slums. We need to first address the garbage issue and simultaneously implement the ABC programme more seriously. This will put a check on the increasing stray dog population,” he says.
Carrying out the ABC programme in pockets will not get the desired results, in his view. “When implementing the ABC programme, it should be carried out all over the city and not just in one place, forgetting the other,” Dr Piran cautions, adding that the programme can only help in controlling the birth of stray dogs but not their aggression.
“To prevent dog bites, people should be made aware of what provokes the dogs. Entering a dog’s territory, disturbing it when it is feeding its baby and picking up its pups etc, will provoke it and it will charge,” he warns.
Pointing out that the poor are more prone to dog attacks on the streets, Dr Piran says this problem can be addressed by creating more awareness among them.
“We travelled extensively across the city, visiting both private and BBMP schools and creating awareness among their children about the reasons for a dog attack, what provokes the strays and how to handle them. We also distributed handouts with information on this in public places,” he recalls, dwelling on his stint in the BBMP.. Besides carrying out the ABC programme, the BBMP also organised massive vaccination of stray dogs every year, he notes.
Debunking the claim of officials of the BBMP’s animal husbandry department that the population of the strays is increasing as they move around in search of food, he says strays have their own territories and and will not allow any new dog into them. “ The strays of one area usually gang up and chase away the new entrant. Only in exceptional cases , like the male dog coming in search of a female, are they allowed to enter,” he explains,
To sum up he says BBMP officers must carry out surprise inspections to see how effective the ABC programme is proving in the city and take corrective action where neccessary.
help the sick dogs, say activists
While to most people strays are a menace on the streets, animal lovers are unhappy that no one in the BBMP seems to care about the dogs that are diseased and disabled. They point out that it’s common to see strays with a broken leg limping as they cross a road or others with injuries on their bodies that don’t heal.
Private animal care organisations do try to help some of them by taking them to their shelters and giving them the necessary care and treatment, but there is no effort from the government, they regret.
Many point out that although there has been growing demand from animal lovers for the establishment of BBMP shelters to treat injured strays, it has fallen on deaf ears so far.
Ask a BBMP official about what it intends to do about the diseased and injured strays on the streets of the city and he says after the recent incident of a child being mauled to death by a dog, Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun has as ked the animal husbandry department to produce figures of the last three years of the ABC programme. She also plans to hold a meeting with both officials and animal lovers on the issue and discuss among other things, the demand for setting up of animal shelters by the BBMP, he assures.
Denying reports that the BBMP plans to set up a huge animal shelter in the city and dump as many stray as possible into it, he says the animals will be allowed to live in the areas they have adopted in the city and only those in need of care and treatment will be accommodated in a shelter.
