Stray dog menace increasing in city as its population rises

Is sterilisation programme still in place? question public

Mysore/Mysuru: Stray dog menace is increasing day-by-day in almost all localities in city causing concern for the public, who have questioned whether the sterilisation programme was still going on as the population of stray dogs is increasing too. It is frightening to see pack of dogs on the prowl in most of the thickly populated areas in city and even in localities on city outskirts. 

It has become difficult for the residents to go for morning or evening walks even in groups in many areas due to stray dogs. Even when one goes for morning or evening walks in areas like Vijayanagar, Gokulam, Kuvempunagar, Bannimantap and J.P. Nagar among other areas, dogs are seen moving in packs and the walkers have to always be on guard as dogs, sometimes more than ten in number, could attack. Also, if one comes for walks with a pet dog, the stray dogs attack it in packs. As a result, the dog owners feel scared to take their pets out.

Meanwhile, Star of Mysore is getting frequent calls from the public regarding dog menace in their areas, fearing for the lives of their children and the aged. Many callers said that earlier they used to see a team of dog catchers, armed with nets, catching stray dogs, taking them in a vehicle and again releasing back in the same place after sterilising them and added that they are not seeing any such things in recent days. 

They questioned whether the sterilisation programme undertaken by the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) in association with People For Animals (PFA) was still going on or not.

The public have alleged of stray dogs attacking people and injuring them and there are instances of these strays chasing motorists especially two-wheeler riders, who have fallen down from their bikes and scooters and injuring themselves with a few sustaining serious injuries after losing control of their two-wheelers while trying to escape from them.

It is also a torture for the elderly and infants during night, who are suffering from disturbed sleep due to continuous barking and howling from stray dogs. Parents are not sending their children to play even in front of their houses due to fear of dogs attacking them. 

BJP leader R. Raghu Kautilya, speaking to SOM said that the menace of stray dogs had indeed increased in city as one could find them moving freely on roads in almost all areas in packs and added that the people are risking their lives while moving around the city.

He further said that the civic body or the concerned Department should take steps to control the menace for which the residents along with the public should exert pressure on the local elected representatives.