15,000 dog-bite cases in four months alarm Vasai-Virar civic body, 30K of 100,000 strays sterilised so far

The issue gained urgency following the recent death of a nine-year-old girl who contracted rabies after being bitten by a stray dog, sparking widespread outrage and renewed criticism of the civic administration’s handling of the crisis

MUMBAI: Alarmed by a sharp rise in dog-bite incidents across the Vasai-Virar region, the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) has announced a series of measures to tackle the growing stray dog menace, including fast-tracking sterilisation drives with the help of private organisations and constructing a dedicated shelter facility for sterilised animals.

Thane, India - October 27, 2020: Stray dogs at Ghodbunder Road in Thane, Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, October 27, 2020. ( Praful Gangurde/ HT Photo ) (HT PHOTO)

According to civic officials, the city currently has an estimated 100,000 stray dogs, but only 30,000 have been sterilised so far. Between January and April this year alone, the civic body received complaints of nearly 15,000 dog-bite cases, triggering growing concern among residents and political leaders alike.

The issue gained urgency following the recent death of a nine-year-old girl who contracted rabies after being bitten by a stray dog, sparking widespread outrage and renewed criticism of the civic administration’s handling of the crisis.

The stray dog issue dominated discussions during the VVCMC General Body meeting, where opposition leaders accused the civic body of failing to effectively control the rising menace despite repeated complaints from citizens.

Mayor Ajeev Patil on Friday said the corporation would rope in private organisations and animal welfare groups to accelerate sterilisation efforts in the city. “Reducing the stray dog population will take time, but discussions with animal welfare organisations have already begun and work is underway,” said Nilesh Deshmukh, chairman of the VVCMC Health Committee.

Deshmukh said the civic body plans to construct a dedicated shelter facility in Vasai at an estimated cost of ₹5.5 crore. The proposed centre will be able to accommodate around 1,000 dogs and will provide post-sterilisation care, treatment and maintenance facilities.

To improve monitoring and identification, sterilised dogs will also be fitted with collars equipped with GPS trackers, officials said.

At present, the Vasai-Virar region has two sterilisation centres, one operated by the civic body and another run by a private veterinary clinic. Civic officials admitted that the current infrastructure is inadequate considering the size of the stray dog population and the rising number of complaints.

Chief Medical Officer of VVCMC, Bhakti Chaudhary, said civic hospitals have been adequately stocked with anti-rabies vaccines and medicines to deal with dog-bite emergencies.

However, opposition leaders claimed the administration’s response has been too slow despite the worsening situation on the ground.

“When thousands of citizens are living in fear, the administration cannot afford to remain complacent. Complaints are pouring in daily, but there is little visible action on the streets,” said BJP leader Manoj Patil.

Patil alleged that in several parts of Vasai-Virar, residents, especially children and senior citizens, fear venturing outdoors at night because of aggressive packs of stray dogs roaming residential areas.

“It is shameful that the administration has failed to even remove stray dogs from around its own offices. If that is the situation, how can citizens expect relief across the city?” he asked.