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Journalism of Courage
In focus
It was a busy day at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital’s emergency ward on Tuesday. Several people bitten by stray dogs had queued up to get a rabies shot.
Among them was Pushpa Arya, who brought his 13-year-old daughter after a dog near their house scratched her while she was returning from school in Khajuri Khas. He said it has become difficult to walk on the road near their home.
A day after the Supreme Court directed authorities in Delhi-NCR to shift all stray dogs to shelters, Naresh felt it was a good move and said street dogs should be provided a better and safe place where they also get enough food. “They can be provided shelter in nearby areas where the living conditions are better.”
According to officials at the hospital, the emergency room sees around 85-90 cases of dog bites per day, on an average.
The treatment, which includes a rabies vaccine and a serum that has pre-formed antibodies, helps develop immunity against the virus.
“These patients are given rabies injection for post-exposure prophylaxis from any rabid animal through a bite or a scratch,” said a senior official, adding that rabies is 100 per cent fatal.”
Arya, however, holds no grudge towards the canines. “Janwar to janwar hai, usko kya pata? (They are mere animals. They don’t understand much)”.
Naresh Kumar, a 46-year-old AC mechanic from Naraina, who came to the hospital for a dog bite as well, said that the government must know how things should be resolved for both humans and dogs.
“In my area, children are often bitten by dogs.” But it’s not their fault. The dogs are just hungry as they do not get enough food,” he said. He also thinks sending dogs to shelter homes can resolve the problem as the dogs would be provided “better care”.
Nand Lal (36), a supervisor at a courier company, refused to believe the dogs are always at fault. Lal said this even as he arrived at the hospital on Tuesday with a dog bite. He was bitten after he accidentally fell on a canine.
“It was not the dog’s mistake but mine. I, mistakenly, had stepped on him and fell. He got aggressive,” he explained.
A resident of Pratap Nagar, Lal said that he often feeds dogs, pointing out that the animals do not get enough food and care. “The dogs on the roads and highways get very little food and end up becoming aggressive. They bark and run after vehicles and this leads to accidents as well,” he added.
Lal highlighted that there is a massive difference between dogs that are adopted and left on their own to look for food and shelter.
Vijender Kelkar, a businessman from Karol Bagh, rushed his 11-year-old son to the hospital after the child was bitten by a dog around 3 pm while playing outside.
An injection was given. “Next one will be given on the 15th,” he said.
“My son has been bitten twice. Today and earlier in 2023. At times, children don’t even report dog bites, out of fear. If unattended, bites involve risks of disease or death,” he added.
He further said that the MCD should ensure that dogs are not a threat to children or others by getting them vaccinated.
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