Over 2L and counting: Stray dog menace alarming in Kanpur

KANPUR: Civic and health authorities may be in for a tough time ahead as an unofficial dog census carried out by the Kanpur Municipal Corporation (KMC) puts the population of stray dogs at over 2 lakh in Kanpur’s city limits.

According to officials, the situation may take alarming proportions in view of the Sitapur incident where dogs killed three children on Tuesday. They said the KMC had not carried out any dog catching drive since 2014 and no canine has been sterilised since 2016. “Incidents of dog bites will increase in Kanpur as population of stray dogs has grown exponentially. According to an unofficial census by KMC, the number of dogs in Kanpur is over two lakh. This is a huge number,” said SK Paul, a veterinarian.

Officials said nearly 23,195 cases of dog bites were reported at government hospitals in 2016 which doubled to 46,800 cases in 2017. Till January this year, three main government hospitals – UHM hospital, KPM hospital and Kanshiram trauma centre – and 10 community health centres were receiving an average of 135 patients every month but the number has now gone up to 190.

City health officer AK Singh said the KMC had not been catching dogs anymore in view of the Supreme Court order in this regard.

Corporator Sohail Ahmed said officers were not willing to launch drive to catch stray dogs as they fear they could be legally penalised after the notification of Animal Welfare Board of India issued in 2008.

“The notification mentions that if any government official indulges in act of cruelty against animals, he would make himself liable for action under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and CCS (conduct) rules,” he said.

Sources in KMC, however, said catching of stray dogs had stopped in 2014 when a union minister wrote three letters to the municipal commissioner underlining the cruelty being meted out to dogs. “We have only five people and one vehicle to deal with stray dogs. They are not trained to catch dogs as per norms,” said an official candidly.

The KMC had abruptly suspended sterilisation drive in 2016 and had given a contract to an NGO Samajothan Seva Samiti which was paid Rs 618 per dog. However, KMC could not provide basic infrastructure.

Municipal commissioner Avinash Singh was not available for comments.