University of Hyderabad students continue to feed strays despite order

Hyderabad: Students of the University of Hyderabad, despite being directed not to feed stray dogs on the campus, continue to sneak dogs into their hostel rooms, distressing other students sharing the premises.

A circular issued on Monday asked students not to feed stray dogs in hostels, messes, corridors, and residences, and help the administration in ensuring the safety and well-being of all stakeholders of the campus.

However, students from the women’s hostels have complained to the warden regarding the dogs being sneaked in by a few tenants, raising concerns about proper sanitation and hygiene.

A student said: “We do not mind dogs, but they completely mess up the whole place by urinating and defecating, which becomes smelly and the cleaners are supposed to do this extra job. Earlier, there were only three to four puppies, but it has now gone up to seven to eight fully-grown dogs, and their puppies.”

Another student said that the dogs also lick the drinking water dispensers and tear clothes hung out to dry in corridors.

The second student said: “There are around 25 girl students who are willing to feed and provide shelter to the dogs. We are not against feeding them, but there must be certain boundaries and everybody’s opinion must be respected. The dogs are not aggressive nor have they bitten anyone so far, but feeding inside hostels is not acceptable.”

Dog sympathisers, however, defended their actions claiming that the dogs were taken into rooms to shelter them during extreme hot or cold. Citing that the dogs were well-behaved and had not harmed anyone, they said they could not abandon animals they have been caring for.

The hostel warden said that several complaints were registered by students, who were getting disturbed due to dogs entering hostels. She said: “We cannot say anything to the students as they say it is a basic human right to feed the dogs. Thus, we keep mum. However, there are not many dogs in the hostels as we have strict security.”

The circular issued to students also listed recent attacks by strays and said it was coordinating with civic authorities over the issue.

“In view of the fact there were 80,000 dog attack cases reported in the last one year in Telangana and also in view of the four-year-old boy was attacked and killed by a pack of dogs and thus the issue is of grave concern. Stakeholders are advised while walking alone in poorly lit areas to avoid packs of dogs, if any. The campus is further coordinating with GHMC in this matter,” said the circular.