Thiruvananthapuram: The state government has decided to organise intensive animal birth control (ABC) camps to neuter all stray dogs from October 1. This was decided at a meeting convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here on Monday. All animal welfare organisations in the state will have to register with the government and those willing to cooperate will be made part of the programme. He also informed that respective district collectors would oversee the ABC programme.
Local self-government minister K.T. Jaleel who attended the meeting told the media that dangerous stray dogs would be culled to save the people from trouble. District collector Biju Prabhakar will head the ABC camps. In the run-up to the programme, all experienced dog catchers will be assembled. More people will be trained to catch dogs.
The ABC camps will be organised at least 10 days a month in all block panchayat levels. Animal Husbandry Minister K. Raju and Health Minister K.K. Shailaja also attended the meeting. Meanwhile, a meeting of the residents’ associations held under the Confe-deration of Residents’ Associations (CONFRA) has announced that they will cull dangerous street dogs on their own.
“We are ready to face any legal consequences that may come during culling. Our civic bodies have not been effective in controlling stray dog menace through other methods. So we have no options left,” said CONFRA president advocate S. Reghu. The earlier system of culling any stray dog without collar should be reinstated, the CONFRA said. There has been instances of stray dogs being dumped in the capital from other states, it alleged in a statement.
Canine threat is real; now tackle it
With dog population in the state estimated to be 2.5 lakh and increasing rapidly thanks to government's unscientific ways of handling the problem, humans are increasingly coming under attack across urban and rural areas. According to estimates, over 30 dog bite deaths have taken place in the state during the past three years with the latest being the tragic death of Silvamma in Pulluvila.
More than one lakh people have been bitten by stray dogs in the state during 2015-16. Thiruvananthapuram - 5948, Palakkad- 4916, Kollam - 3670, Pathanamthitta - 2892, Alappuzha - 2967 , Ernakulam - 2050 , Thrissur - 2044 and Kottayam 1614. In 2014, as many as 1.19 lakh people were bitten and about 88,172 people suffered dog bites in 2013. Considering the increasing number of dog bites, the government has given direction to state run Kerala Medical Service Corporation (KMSCL) to procure sufficient stock of anti rabies vaccine and serum. During 2015-16, the Corporation had been allotted Rs 7.25 crore for procuring rabies vaccines.
Dealing with dog bite:
One should take proper care even if there is pet dog, it should not be neglected as it can turn fatal leading to rabies dpending onthe spread of rabies virus. Clean the cut five to ten times soon after using soap or dettol. One should not place cotton over the bruise as it could spread the virus. The cut needs proper aeration. Neck, chest, face and head are sensitive to rabies disease.
The bite at these parts has very quick effect and the virus spreads to the brain quickly. In the event of bite by suspected rabid dog, anti-rabies vaccine needs to be taken in doses. Vaccination is essential since the rabies can happen immediately or at a later stage. For understanding whether the dog that bit is rabid or healthy, one needs to observe it closely and it does not live beyond ten days. But in some cases the dogs can live with virus for many days.
