Cavelossim panchayat's recent request to villagers to help rein in the area's stray dog population has once again brought to the fore the widespread issue and the government's apparent struggle to control it. The Cavelossim panchayat's stand is simple: Stop randomly feeding the dogs, but rather route feeding efforts through the authorities concerned.
Panchayat members said stray dogs, especially those scattered all over the beach area, have been turning aggressive due to irregular feeding by beach-goers, and have consequently been attacking tourists. In fact, Cavelossim reported 14 incidents of dogs biting tourists on the beach in just a matter of weeks, mostly during the evenings.
Earlier this month, the tourism department announced that it would team up with the department of animal husbandry and veterinary sciences, and the Indian Reserve Battalion to decide how to stem the issue of stray dogs and cattle wandering along Goa's coastline, following several complaints from tourists and stakeholders. Tourism minister Rohan Khaunte had said that starting from February 1, 2025, the two state government departments would monitor the situation in a bid to arrive at measures to combat the 'menace'. How successful they will be is yet to be seen.
In a similar situation, India's commercial capital, Mumbai, had last year reported growing concerns regarding the repercussions of feeding pigeons. Although it is seen as a pious act (feeding the birds is likened to paying homage to one's ancestors), pulmonologists maintained that access to easy food sources led to an exponential rise in pigeon populations in certain areas of Mumbai, and that the birds' excreta triggered an allergic reaction among some individuals. However, while the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has not banned feeding of pigeons, it can impose a Rs. 500 penalty for feeding animals and birds in non-designated areas.
If some action on these lines is taken in Goa, it is likely that random feeders will be dissuaded from giving strays, particularly on beaches, tidbits of food every now and then, leaving the task to dedicated feeders and NGOs that are already on the job. At Cavelossim, for instance, the panchayat has its own shelter for dogs, where strays are brought in and provided with meals twice a day. The panchayat also has regular feeding programmes through which hygienic food and water are provided to stray dogs in designated areas. By bringing feeding efforts under one umbrella and tapping its shelter to provide care to stray dogs, the panchayat hopes to achieve the two-pronged result of reducing aggressiveness among packs of dogs while also making sure they are properly cared for.
Assuming that the Cavelossim model is replicated in panchayats across the state, it is almost certain that the stray dog issue will be considerably controlled. How keen the government is to strictly implement it all over Goa is the question.
Khaunte also recently said that beach-goers could use the Beach Vigil app to report stray dogs and cattle on the coastline. Launched on January 25 last year, the app was aimed at giving people an easy way to report illegalities on beaches. All they have to do is take a photograph of any illegal activity on the beach, and upload the photo on the Beach Vigil app. The app will then forward the complaint to the relevant agency for the necessary action.
The intention may be noble, but it is time the government did a survey to check how many complaints were recorded on the app through the course of 2024, and how many were actually resolved. If the resolution rate is good, then the app itself is probably a safe bet to help stem the issue of strays on beaches. However, if negligible action was taken through the app, the government needs to relook its efficacy and come up with other ways to tackle the problem through, perhaps, community involvement.
Strays cannot be eliminated entirely, but Goa definitely can lead the way in controlling their populations and ensuring that they and the people around them are safe. All the government needs is the will and a tough follow-through approach.