Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Animal rights activist and Lok Sabha member Maneka Gandhi said that dog bite cases are not increasing after sterilisation of dogs. Rather they are increasing as people, mostly of rich houses or colonies, pick dogs illegally and get them thrown here and there, she said, adding when dogs get relocated then they start biting. “If relocation of dogs is stopped then you will see that dog bite cases will reduce,” Gandhi asserted.
In a telephonic interaction with Free Press, she said that if the Madhya Pradesh government and municipalities stop relocating dogs then dog bite cases will reduce.
She also claimed that there are very few NGOs in Madhya Pradesh for the sterilisation programme of dogs. The NGOs need to be trained in sterilisation. She asserted that if, after sterilisation, dogs return to the same place then they do not bite.
Meanwhile, Bhopal Municipal Corporation’s veterinary doctor SK Gupta said that many steps have been taken to control dog bite cases. Efforts have been made to increase sterilise and vaccinate them. Around 1,500 to 2,000 dogs are vaccinated each month. Till last year, there was only 1 ABC centre and now there are three.
He said that sterilisation programmes will bring down the population of dogs, which will decrease the dog bite incidents. Normally, it is during December and January that dog bite cases see a surge, he added. As per rough analysis, there is one dog per 16 people in the city.
‘Animal lovers prevent BMC from catching dogs’
For sterilisation of the canines and to control the street dog menace, the BMC has three dog catching squads. In-charge of one of the dog catching squads, pleading anonymity, said that some responsibility shall be fixed on animal lovers, who try to prevent the team from catching dogs. They shall be held responsible for dog biting cases.
‘Transport dogs to Sultanpur, Pilibhit’
What could be dubbed as an indirect jibe against Maneka Gandhi’s endeavours to save dogs, Sagar Medical College prof Dr Sarvesh Jain has written to the Madhya Pradesh Transport Association President CL Mukati, requesting to transport street dogs of Sagar city to Sultanpur and Pilibhit at a reasonable rate. The letter has gone viral on social media.
 (1).jpg)