Chennai: The biodiversity survey conducted at Anna University's Guindy campus has revealed that stray dogs outnumber all other mammals and pose a major threat to endangered species such as deer and monkeys there.
According to the survey, there are totally 63 dogs in both the Guindy campus and neighbouring staff quarters.
“The dogs were found in groups near Roja girls hostel, girls mess, boys mess, Lavender girls’ hostel, Tulip boys hostel and near International hostel and in knowledge park in CEG campus,” the survey report said.
The dogs are not getting food throughout the year as students and outsiders are feeding them. “During holidays, they start chasing the animals including the fawns,” a faculty member said.
“Most of the dogs are diseased and sickly. The disease is being spread to spotted deer, monkeys and other endangered species in the campus. It is important to control the population of dogs to save other mammals,” said K. Venkatraman former director, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata who has overseen the biodiversity survey.
“Many of the dogs have some kind of disease and lost most of their hair in the body. It should be some kind of viral disease and it is spreading to the other animals,” he explained.
The university has deer population anywhere from 15 to 20 and monkeys number around 30 to 40. The free movement of deer was affected by the stray dogs which do not allow any animal to wander the area.
Though the dog population continues to grow despite sterilizing them, no one seems to know the solution to the problem.
“The dog menace at the Anna University is a perennial problem. Whenever an issue arises, we used to call the corporation officials to check the dogs. After vaccination and sterilization, they again drop the dogs at the same location as law prevents relocating them,” said M.Sekar, former dean, College of Engineering, Guindy.
At one time, the university also thought of having a dog sanctuary to control the movements of dogs. But it was never materialized.
When the university administration came out with a circular advising the students to not to feed the stray dogs, a student has complained to union minister Maneka Gandhi and the university has to withdraw it, sources said.
“We cannot touch dogs. Once in three months, we call either blue cross or corporation officials to vaccinate and sterilise the dogs,” says T.V. Geetha, dean, College of Engineering, Guindy.
When asked about the dogs being fed with the waste foods in the hostel, she said, “We have set up biogas plants and all the wastages in hostel messes are being sent to these plants for power generation.”
Sometimes, the dogs won't even allow the faculty members to enter their departments. There are many incidents of chasing by dogs also reported by students.
However, the university could not act on the incidents as relocating dogs was prohibited as per the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001.
But, Mr Venkatraman said dogs should not be sheltered in an educational institution. “They have to be removed from the campus as it endangers other species. The state government has to come out with a solution,” he urged.
