Tom, Dick and Harry were talking about the stray dog menace.
Tom said, “Stray dogs are found in large numbers around temples, churches and other places of worship; playgrounds, gardens and on our beautiful beaches. Their population has reached to dangerous proportions.”
Dick said, “Well-fed mongrels bark their heads off while running after speeding vehicles; they chase two-wheelers so fiercely and determinedly that riders, fear that they might any moment succeed in springing aboard and tearing them into pieces.”
Tom said, “A rabies dog bite can be fatal. The victim behaves like a dog with a strong impulse to bite anyone who comes his way. There is no cure at this stage. The victim is shut in a room till he dies. Even near and dear ones fear to go close to such a victim.”
Dick said, “Nowadays, dogs mauling children is major news. We know the value of a good dog. But its population explosion has caused serious problems which impels and compels us to find a solution to this menace.”
Tom said, “Many say that the problem of dogs biting children can be solved, to some extent, by giving the strays to animal lovers for adoption and by sterilisation to prevent procreation, thus decreasing the number of dogs in the area.”
Harry said, “Animal rights groups, Animal welfare organisations are of course doing an admirable job of caring for strays but there is a limit to the kind of caring. The adoption programmes are a total failure as the stray dog population is playing the game of multiplication on every road in our cities; on every corner of our villages and even on Goa’s beaches. Stray dogs are increasing faster than animal lovers who come to adopt them. Sterilization programe is just not working. Sterilisation stops procreation but it does not stop the dog from biting people. The situation is very alarming and disturbing. Killing them in a humane manner is the logical approach.”
Tom said, “If a car runs over a child, it is wrong to arrest all-drivers; because for the act of one, all should not be blamed. Similarly, we should not punish all stray dogs because of the act of one dog.”
Harry said, “Crores have been spent on stray dog menace but the situation is just getting worse. It is beyond control in Goa. Yes, we may not arrest all drivers for an accident caused by one of them; but, it is correct to pick all the stray dogs when not one but many of them have bitten minors and adults. We are now at a stage of choosing between the suffering of human beings on one side and the suffering of the stray dogs on the other side; weight-age will have to be given to the suffering of human beings. The welfare of dogs cannot supersede well being of humans.
Responsibility cannot be avoided by listening to dog lovers. When a dog starts biting people it is left to society to take self-correcting mechanism. It is for society to lay down rules for its safety. But if we leave everything to dog lovers then it is weakening the strength of the people — a sign of decay of democracy. More the safety to dogs, more is the danger to man.”
