CALANGUTE: Deputy Speaker and Calangute MLA, Michael Lobo has urged the locals to make the ‘Rabies Vaccination and Dog Sterilisation Camp’ successful by getting maximum number of dogs vaccinated and sterilised.
The camp, which was inaugurated on Monday, is organised by the Mission Rabies Worldwide Veterinary Service in association with the Calangute Village Panchayat. The camp will continue till October 30 at Nazri Parking lot at Calangute.
“Like-minded people will support Worldwide Veterinary Service as there are many animal lovers in Calangute. This is a place where the people are busy with their own business and other work. There is no point if only ten dogs come here. We want maximum number of dogs to be vaccinated and sterilised as far as strays are concerned,” he said.
“We need to deal with the cattle menace that leads to a number of accidents on a daily basis. Every day, the number of casualties due to stray animals on all the highways major district and village roads is fifty percent. We cannot go and kill animals and hence have to make alternate arrangements for them such as a shelter home,” Lobo added.
The MLA lamented that a shelter home for stray animals was pending due to lack of funds and government support.
“The Calangute Comunidade Attorney Anthony D’Souza had provided 30,000 sq mts area which has been marked in the ODP as an animal shelter. Rs 8 crore needs to be spent on the same but the government has not come forward to help us. I think we need to take up this under CSR maybe and house over 500 stray cattle. We will also require manpower to feed and look after them,” Lobo said.
The Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) Goa Clinical Director, Dr Karlette Fernandes and her team are conducting the drive.
