Allahabad’s Beli Hosp gets 150200 dog bite cases a day

ALLAHABAD: Stray dogs have become a threat to residents and commuters in the city where they can be found wandering in the lanes, streets, various localities and markets in packs. They can also be spotted near meat shops, especially after the closure of slaughterhouses in Atala, Rambagh and Naini, locals say.

The closure of abattoirs has resulted in alleged slaughter of animals in unauthorized places. The Allahabad Nagar Nigam (ANN) had sealed these slaughter houses following an order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) a year ago, said a social activist. Most government hospitals get dog bite cases in large numbers.

“On an average, we get 150 to 200 cases of dog bites every day which add up to nearly 4,000 cases a month. Half of these cases are from rural areas of the district. In light of the high numbers, we keep anti-Rabies vaccine available with us on all days,” said Dr RS Thakur, superintendent, Tej Bahadur Sapru (Beli) Hospital, Allahabad.

No other data on dog bite cases was available.

“One of the main reasons for the presence of dogs near meat shops is the poor disposal of meat by shop owners,” said Vanshika, a social activist who runs an NGO for the welfare of dogs.

Social activist Anand Kumar said meat shops functioning near schools and colleges should be stopped for the safety of children. Animal husbandry officer, ANN, Dr Dheeraj Goyal said the department would soon begin sterilisation of dogs.

Allahabad CMO Dr GS Bajpai could not be contacted for comments on the cases of dog bites.