Despite an alarming rise in dog bite cases and aggressive packs ruling many byroads at night, the Kollam city Corporation has opted to turn a blind eye towards the menace.
While nearly 10 persons were attacked by a rabid dog at Asramam last week, feral strays have become a major concern for two-wheeler riders and pedestrians in many areas.
According to officials, the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme was conducted only for 38 days from February 22 to March 31, the end of the last financial year. “The civic body had appointed a doctor and four handlers and as per records 644 dogs were sterilised. The number is very negligible compared to the total stray population in Kollam Corporation limits that comes around 12,000,” says an official. Reportedly, the Kollam Corporation has repeatedly failed to arrange a space to sterilise the dogs and all locations identified by the civic body were changed at the last minute.
