TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Civic bodies have been given the responsibility of vaccinating and sterlising dogs. The Corporation of the City of Panaji and the Margao Municipal Council are the designated bodies in the respective city and town.
These councils have roped in the services of NGOs, where in Panjim the CCP works with PAWS and pays this NGO around Rs 25,000 per month. These NGOs are supposed to vaccinate and sterlise these packs of dogs that roam freely in various parts of the State. But NGO members say that the amount is less and the shortfall is taken care of by private donations.
Animal welfare board too pays certain amount to them to take care of each dog for sterlisation.
However, though on the face of it, they say that the dog population has decreased; insiders admit that this is not true since the NGOs have not been able to effectively control the dog population.
As of today the first phase of Mission Rabies has ended with this programme sterilizing and vaccinating nearly 21,000 dogs all over Goa. This first phase was entirely funded by NGO Mission Rabies.
Now, they have given a proposal to the government so that they can attain at least 75% of the dog population as according to the world veterinary services standard, if 70 of the dogs are vaccinated and sterlised then there are very remote chances of rabies.
Mission Rabies volunteers also went to different schools and created an awareness campaign among around 55,000 students in case of dog bite. Students were also advised how to encounter dogs if they came their way.
“Something is happening all over but it is not enough, says Savio Coutinho, former MMC chairperson and involved with Mission Rabies and even earlier with other initiatives to control dog population and rabies. “But it is not happening at the rate that it is needed.”
“For example if there are 100 sterlisations, there are 200 births. It is very important to have intensive drives as otherwise the dog population cannot be brought under control,” Coutinho argues.
According to him there is a new advance in dog sterlisations known as pinhole operation after which the dog can be released the very next day. Earlier, the dogs had to be kept and fed for seven days after the operation, increasing the cost.
