Sandeep Rana
Chandigarh, December 20
With as many as 4,735 dog bite incidents being recorded up to November 30, the city has seen far more cases than 12 other UTs/states in the country this year.
6,306 dog bite cases last year
12,920 feral canines in 2018 survey
20,799 sterilised from 2015 to Nov 2021
Further, the city is second among all UTs, after Delhi, in terms of canine bite cases. However, the number of cases is lower than 6,306 recorded in city last year (up to December 31). The figures were shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in response to a query raised by Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu in Lok Sabha.
We are making efforts to address problem. We can’t shift dogs. Animal birth control comes under MC amp; we are working on that. Anindita Mitra, MC chief
Residents across the city have been living in constant fear of feral dogs. Kusum, a social worker from Sector 45, says: “People are wary of stray dogs each time they go out to fetch milk in the morning. Dogs often chase two-wheelers, resulting in road accidents. The authorities have failed to find a lasting solution to the problem.”
Balwinder Singh, a resident of Sector 41, says: “Stray dogs can be seen in almost all streets of our sector. Strangers or guests are at a higher risk of getting bitten. Ferocious dogs having the tendency to attack must be identified and put away in dog pounds.”
MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra says: “We are making efforts towards addressing the problem. As per bylaws, we cannot shift dogs from their area to another place. However, animal birth control falls under the MC’s purview and we are effectively working on that.” The UT Animal Husbandry Department’s census last conducted in 2018 had identified 12,920 feral canines in the city. The MC claimed to have sterilised 20,799 dogs between 2015 and November 2021.
