E-Paper
Rising dog-bite cases: Urban dev dept takes concrete steps to deal with menace in U.P.
The department of urban development in India is taking steps to control the population of stray dogs and minimize incidents of dog attacks. This includes planning 15 animal birth control centers across the state and issuing a Dog Animal Management Manual. A helpline has also been created for complaints regarding dog bites and a dog park will be made available for pet owners. Those caught without a dog license will be fined ₹5,000.
The department of urban development has taken urgent steps to minimise incidents of dog attacks in the state.
Amrit Abhijat, principal secretary, urban development, says that he has planned 15 animal birth control centres across the state to control the population of strays.
The department has also issued the Dog Animal Management Manual (Consultative Guideline)-2023 along with the standard operating procedures (SOP) related to canines.
Currently, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) runs one animal birth control centre at Jarhara. One more centre is planned at Kanha Upvan to control stray dog populations in the state capital which is facing dog menace. Despite big claims of the LMC, the city requires an aggressive animal birth control programme to solve the problems of strays.
Abhijat said, “The Kanha Upvan has facilities to start a birth control programme so it could be utilised to sterlise dogs of cis-Gomti area, while at Jarhara, the sterlisation of dogs from trans-Gomti area could be performed. But to start that facility planning is required.”
Being aware and sensitive to this aggressive change taking place in dogs, there is a need to think deeply and research adopting a humane approach. It is the responsibility of the municipal corporations to create a safe environment by removing the fear of such aggressive dogs from the minds of citizens.
He said, “Recently, there were disturbing reports of loss of life due to dog bites, but we cannot allow a hostile atmosphere against the dogs. We cannot allow innocent dogs to be killed. That’s why we have planned for a resolution of complaints regarding dog bites by the creation of a portal and helpline.”
Besides, a dog park in all zones of the LMC will be made for pet lovers which will have all the facilities required for dogs. However, pet owners will have to get their pets registered with the LMC and follow the rules so that conflict with neighbours is avoided.
Portal & Helpline
A free helpline, 1533, will be arranged in every municipal corporation with modern information technology-enabled services along, on which ordinary citizens will be able to register complaints regarding dog-bite cases. Citizens or pet guardians can call Helpline number established by local authorities. In case of a dog bite complaint, such dogs will be humanely caught by trained dog-handling team, strictly following the provisions of the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and brought to the Dog Care Center, where experts will observe the dog for 10 days.
If the dog does not have rabies, it would be handed over to the animal welfare organisation (AWO) which will release at the spot from where it was picked.”
Grievance Control Cell
A dog complaint control cell will be set up at animal birth control centres to deal with dog bites, in which the name/address/place of the complainant and the nature of the complaint etc. will be permanently registered in a register for action.
Data handling
Monthly data will be prepared of the dogs brought for treatment to the animal birth control centre by each municipal corporation, which will be displayed on the website of the municipal corporation.
Amrit Abhijat said, “A suspected rabid dog or suffering from any disease will be inspected by two experts. One of them will be a veterinary surgeon and another from an animal welfare organisation. The dog will be monitored for three weeks until its recovery. But if the dog is still displaying symptoms of any communicable disease, then it would be housed in an isolation kennel of the animal birth control centre under strict veterinary supervision.
“If the dog is found to have a high probability of having rabies, it shall be isolated till it dies a natural death. Death normally occurs within 10 days of contracting rabies. Carcasses of dogs suspected to have died of rabies shall be disposed of in an incinerator.”
More than 200 dog licences issued in a day
More than 200 people turned up to get a licence for their dogs at Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) office on Friday after 11 people were caught by the LMC squad without licence a day before.
Those caught without a licence, were also fined ₹46,000.
Chief veterinary officer Dr Abhinav Varma said, “Call it the effect of the dog licence-checking drive on Thursday, or increased awareness among residents, more than 200 licences were issued on Friday. We also fined one person for keeping a dog without licence today. LMC has started the drive to check licences this year because till this time last year, 8,000 dog licences were issued but this year just over 2,100 licences have been issued. So, we decided to start a drive to check pet licences.”
he LMC has appealed to residents who have not taken a licence for their pet to get one or else they will be fined ₹5,000.
