‘Organise dog-catching drives in nights too’

LUCKNOW: Residents of various colonies of the state capital have requested the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) to organise dog-catching drives during nights, too, when canines come out in the open in large numbers.

There are several areas in the city where residents are afraid of stepping out of their houses in the night due to dogs.

On April 6, stray dogs had attacked Jannat, 8, and her brother Raza, 5, in Thakurganj area when they were playing outside their house. Neighbours rushed them to KGMU where doctors declared Raza brought dead while seriously injured Jannat is undergoing treatment at the trauma centre.

On Saturday, two kids were bitten by dogs in Tirgawan Rahimabad . four-year-old Tanzeem and 12-year-old Suraj were bitten by stray dogs. They were treated in CHC, Mahlihabad.

Residents of areas like Gomti Nagar, Aliganj, Alambagh, Chowk and Aminabad have been facing the dog menace for a long time now.

Anil Kumar, a resident of Gomti Nagar Extension, said: “Dogs have been a problem for the last few years. My mother was bitten by a dog a few days ago. When I come back from work at night, often strays bark at me or start chasing me. Despite repeated complaints, the authorities have done nothing. Perhaps they are waiting for someone to die here, too.”

AP Mishra, another of resident of Gomti Nagar, said: “Why can’t LMC launch a dogcatching drive for sterilisation during the nights as most dogs hide in the day.”

Dr Arvind Rao, director animal welfare, LMC, said: “We get at least 5 to 10 calls daily. Cases of dog bites, dogs chasing people and canine over-population come to us frequently. The LMC acts on each case. We don’t organise dog-catching drives during nights because it’s breeding time for dogs and they can get violent if caught during the night.”

Dr Rao said, “Most residents want troublesome dogs out of their colony, but that’s not possible. Animal Welfare Board of India rules clearly say that the area of street dogs cannot be changed. If at all they are picked up by LMC for sterlisation, they have to be left back in the same area.”

He said that sterilized dogs have been found to live longer lives. “Neutering (sterilization) of dogs eradicates stress and discomfort among dogs. Neutering makes dogs less aggressive, prevents testicular cancer and reduces the risk of prostate cancer,” he said.