CALANGUTE: The recent incidents of stray dog bites in the Calangute-Candolim beach area can be attributed to the closure of most beach shacks this season, according to Agostinho Proenca, founder of Noah’s Ark Animal Care Shelter in Calangute.
“They don’t bite unless they’re threatened or hungry,” Proenca explained. “The problem arises as soon as the shacks close. Where do the dogs go for food? They venture into village areas, leading to territorial fights with other dogs. It’s all about survival.”
Proenca noted that despite the large number of tourists, such incidents are very rare in the Calangute-Candolim beach belt because many strays are fed by NGOs and locals. Before founding his charitable trust seven years ago, Proenca, like many other dog lovers, would feed over 100 dogs daily. Since then, he has overseen the sterilization of more than 3,000 dogs in the Calangute-Candolim area. Noah’s Ark employs six staff members, including a veterinary doctor, and provides affordable medical care for dogs, cats, and cattle.
“They should be sterilized. Once they’re sterilized, they calm down,” he said. “Overall, our dogs are very docile. But if they see a stick, they perceive it as a threat and become aggressive,” he added, referring to people walking on the beaches with sticks. “What is a dog? It’s a poor animal surviving because we’re feeding them.”
Proenca urged people to show more kindness towards animals, expressing his belief that the dogs in Calangute are as much citizens of the area as the humans. “They’re locals. They’re village dogs. They’re not outsiders,” he emphasised.
