TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: They are known as man’s best friends. But given that stray dogs are all over the place and roam around in large packs, it can be quite intimidating. Many of them have marked territories areas outside colonies as their own and chase down whoever ‘trespasses’ these territories along roads.
The greater danger they pose is to kids and pet dogs, as they often become the focus of their attacks.
In some areas, this has turned so bad that kids are afraid to cycle outside their colonies and owners have had to put their pet dogs to sleep due to injuries received from stray dogs.
But is it the fault of the stray dogs that their numbers are increasing? Or are the authorities and their contractors who are supposed to keep their numbers in check responsible? Puppies are seen along with the packs in most Panjim suburbs, which further arouses strays to be ferocious.
“There are too many stray dogs. There is a big confusion,” Cristabel Coutinho who says that she is scared of letting her kids out as the dogs are all over the place.
According to residents in areas around Dona Paula and Taleigao, the number of dogs around the place is increasing and despite much talked about efforts by the authorities, there are puppies seen outside most colonies in the area.
“We have strays all over. This is because of the garbage dumps. Also somebody has been feeding the dogs. We cannot even take our (pet) dogs out for a walk, says Leoni Saldanha from Dona Paula. According to her, colony residents have complained to the local body who has in turn complained to Panjim Animal Welfare Society, but though their vehicle is indeed seen around the place, the canine population does not seem to be decreasing.
“Nagali Hills Colony has complained to the (Taleigao) panchayat. Nobody has been doing anything. The numbers are only increasing,” Saldanha recounts.
Another resident of the area says that the large number of dogs in the area have made them paranoid especially when reports about rabid dogs surface.
“We took the anti-rabies vaccine as a precaution. A rabid dog had come to our place and fought with our dogs. We did not want to take a risk so we took the anti-rabies injections,” Hazel D’Souza told Herald, adding that their pet dogs too were given a booster.
A visit to the area confirms the allegations that there are quite a few packs of dogs in the area, especially going down the slope from the National Institute of Oceanography.
“We are a still paranoid. My daughter has a flat near my residence. But we go there by car,” says Hazel, adding that she feels that their numbers are indeed increasing.
“I feel the number of dogs is increasing in the area. There are a lot of them near Manipal Hospital and the Information Technology Park too,” she says.
People recount incidents where they have had to put their pet dogs to sleep after they had had fights with rabid dogs and got bitten.
However, is it the fault of the dogs or those that are supposed to take care of the problem like sterilise and vaccinate them to ensure that they are safe and their number does not increase?
