Stray dogs spread terror at Zirakpur, attack 13-year-old; 190 cases reported in two months

Rizwan, a resident of Baltana, and Diljan’s father, said, “My son was playing outside my home and at least five to six strays attacked him. He was bitten on the leg and we have got him admitted to a Dhakoli hostpital,” Rizwan said.

He added that the residents in the area are living under fear of strays dogs and are unable to send their children outside.

According to the doctors at Dhakoli, in October, 45 dog bite cases were reported in Zirakpur but in November a total of 145 cases were reported. A doctor who looks after dog bite cases at Dhakoli’s government hospital said that on average they record 30 to 40 dog bite cases per month but there has been an increase in the number of cases in October and November.

In a letter written to the estate officer, Medical Officer (MO) Mehtab Singh Bal said that they have noticed a rise in dog bite cases and implementing birth control of strays is urgent. Doctors found during vaccination that of the total cases reported in the past two months, around 85 per cent was caused by strays.

The MO also urged in the letter that the birth rate (of strays) must be controlled under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) rules. An MC officer, when asked about the increasing incidents, said that a dog pond has been constructed and the issue has been raised in all the previous House meetings to carry out a survey to identify vulnerable areas.

President of the Joint Action Committee of the Resident Welfare Associations (JAC) Sukhdev Chaudhary said that they raised the issue in the past but the MC did not act, adding that the issue now should be dealt with urgency. “You can see stray dogs in every street of the city. There is fear among the people while they come out of their houses,” he said.