Mass sterilisation of dogs in the city and surrounding areas in an exhaustive and aggressive mode is the only long term and permanent solution for canine problem in Hyderabad.
The pace at which the civic body is carrying out the Animal Birth Control (ABC) and Anti Rabies Vaccination (ARV) programmes needs a lot of improvement, as evidenced by the proliferation of dogs despite these programmes.
Reproduction rate high
The reproduction rate of canines far outnumbers sterilisations performed every year, making the whole programme futile and redundant.
“Sterilisation helps in two ways. It not only brings down the canine population, but also moderates the aggression among the animals,” says an official from the GHMC, on condition of anonymity.
Aggression among female dogs is at peak when they are with puppies, and in case of male dogs, mating season is the causative factor. Mass sterilisation addresses both the issues, and brings down the attacks, the official says.
90% sterilised in Golconda area
GHMC Veterinary wing officials claim that 90 per cent dogs in the Golconda area, where a child was killed in canine attack on Wednesday, have been sterilised, and the whole area inside the fort contains less than 40 canine members as of now.
They point the finger at a neighbouring military area, which is the breeding ground for a large number of feral dogs. Though a few dogs from that area too have been sterilised, the programme could not be carried out there owing to thick forest, they say.
Summer heat and reduced availability of food and water too play a part in dog attacks. The GHMC’s attempts at roping in NGOs to provide enough food and water to the dogs has come a cropper owing to not many volunteers coming forward to cover the whole city.
‘Leave a dog alone’
“Friendly neighbourhood too is as much important in preventing attacks. Dogs remember being chased and harassed by children, and try to attack when they find a vulnerable child. If a dog has memory of a puppy or two run over by a vehicle, it typically chases vehicles. So, it is always better to leave a dog alone even if we don’t pet them or feed them,” says Shiv Kumar Varma, an animal welfare activist.
