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Ludhiana| 4 rabid stray dogs caught in 6 months
The officials are tight-lipped over the areas from where these rising number of rabid stray dogs have been reported, suspecting that it might trigger panic among residents in Ludhiana
The civic body is in a stew over the rising number of rabid stray dogs being reported in the city. Four such cases have been reported from different parts of the city in the last six months.
The officials are tight-lipped over the areas from where these cases have been reported, suspecting that it might trigger panic among residents. However, they said the situation was under control as those dogs had died after they were caught and locked in the dog sterilisation centre of the municipal corporation (MC) in Haibowal area.
The dogs were caught in the months of February and June. The MC has recently received the post-mortem reports from Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU).
Earlier, the department had also caught four rabid dogs in the last one-and-a half-year. One of the dogs had also bitten around a dozen people in the Civil lines area.
Significantly, an 11-year-old boy from Jaspal Bangar village succumbed to rabies in the month of July last year, while a five-year-old girl, who succumbed in Sarabha Nagar in October 2018, had exhibited symptoms typical of rabies before her death.
Year on, ‘Rabies-free city’ project hangs fire
Despite witnessing a rise in fatal infection among the stray dogs, the civic body has failed to kickstart the ‘Rabies-free city’ project announced last year. Under this project, the MC planned to vaccinate all the stray dogs in the city with anti-rabies vaccine in a phased manner. In the first phase, the MC had planned to vaccinate 25,000 dogs at a cost of ₹8 lakh. The animal husbandry department will also be roped in for the project.
The finance and contracts committee (F and CC) of the MC had also approved the project in July last year, but nothing has been done at ground level and officials are working to complete the departmental formalities.
Find a solution at the earliest: Residents to authorities
A resident of Haibowal area, Ratan Singh, said a black-coloured dog had bitten many residents in their area last year and it was suspected that it was a rabid dog. Then the dog disappeared after a few days and the authorities stated that the dog might had died due to the disease.
There is no treatment for rabies and the authorities should find a solution for the problem at the earliest, Singh said.
Meanwhile, senior veterinary officer of the MC Harbans Dhalla said, “ Most of the formalities have been completed to begin the ‘Rabies-free city’ project in the city and a few final approvals have to be taken from the senior officials. The project will be commenced soon.”
Dhalla said those bitten by the stray dogs must immediately get the anti-rabies vaccine. Those bitten on the throat or on the mouth should also get the anti-rabies serum. “The vaccine is available free-of-cost at the Civil hospital. The teams carrying out sterilisation are also checking the dogs for viral symptoms,” he added.
Stray dog bites half-a-dozen residents in Neem Wala Chowk area
In an another dog bite incident reported on Wednesday, a stray dog bit around half-a-dozen residents, including a Congress leader Lucky Kapoor and his wife, near Neem Wala Chowk in the Old City area.
A CCTV footage of the incident also went viral wherein Kapoor and his wife were bitten by the stray dog while they were on their bike. Kapoor got eight stitches on his foot. He said before biting them, the dog had also bitten an eight-year-old child in the area and a few others. The complaints were submitted with the MC, but to no avail, he added.
Meanwhile, the MC officials said the complaint was received in the evening and a team of dog catchers had been sent to the area.
