2 lakh dogs roam in Hyderabad unvaccinated

Hyderabad: Two lakh dogs in Hyderabad are not vaccinated, so it is no surprise that 150 dog bite victims come to government hospital daily. The 50 dogs of Dharam Karan Road gathered, residents say, to feed at a huge garbage spot. Apart from this lane, dog bite cases are high in Charminar, Ameerpet, Afzalgunz, Mehdipatnam, Kushaiguda, SR Nagar, Musheerabad and Abids among others.

Cases rise from January to May as the breeding season begins. The onset of summer also leads to more rabidity among dogs.

Children are major targets as in an Ameerpet case of a 10-year-old girl, who was attacked as she held biscuits in her hand. The dog jumped for the biscuits and bit her, leading to a mad chase. Residents say it is difficult to walk down the roads with plastic bags as dogs know they contain food and sneak up from behind.
“We have complained to GHMC officials but they did not turn up,” said Vaishnavi, mother of the 10-year-old. “Only after several complaints does the dog catching van finally appear.”

Inaction on dogs, ghmc criticised
Tuesday evening’s incident, where several children were bitten coming out of school, shocked the locality of Dharam Karan Road as it has three schools. The school administration says it has asked parents and children to be exercise care while coming to and leaving the school.

The Institute of Preventive Medicine on Wednesday had 10 cases from Tuesday that had their second round of vaccination. The parents at the hospital were upset that there are no preventive steps taken near the schools. They wondered why no step was taken to control the area’s dog population.

The GHMC has five animal care centres where dogs are vaccinated and released back in their locality. The GHMC veterinary department has a major challenge in that when the dog-catching van arrives, street dogs hide and disappear for the rest of the day.

Birth control measures and vaccination are a part of the program but the high population of dogs makes it a losing battle.

“Citizens need to understand that dogs need food, water and shelter,” said Kaivalya K., a volunteer for the Compassionate Society for Animals. “Dogs are teased, beaten and stoned from time to time, making them aggressive. Human cruelty makes it difficult for them to survive,” she added.

The GHMC Veterinary Section conducted 39,346 sterilisations and 62,139 anti-rabies vaccinations in 2019. An estimated Rs 10 crore is spent on the vaccination and sterilisation of dogs. The GHMC’s public education to Resident Welfare Associations on Animal Birth Control is regular.

Petition against stray dog menace in SHRC
Balala Hakkula Sangham (BHS) filed a petition in State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) praying for directions to GHMC Commissioner to initiate action against veterinary officials, who were responsible for the stray dog menace. It also sought payment of compensation to all victims of the menace.

He said that immediate steps needed to be taken to stop the menace, which was happening regularly in GHMC jurisdiction and the peripheral areas.