In the face of mounting criticism on stray dog menace, the civic bodies are gearing up to start stray dogs sterilise drive in the city. Under the Contract for Conducting Animal Birth Control of Stray Dog, Mango Municipal Corporation has given instructions to bring progress in the work for catching stray and post sterilisation to leave them back in the same place. Necessary instructions were also given by the office to the city manager looking after this work.

Areas with high canine numbers are being identified with the help of resident welfare associations and slum-level NGOs.

Notices would be issued to meat shops, function halls, hotels and other such establishments against throwing meat waste on the road, and stringent action would be taken if they did not fall in line. A special drive is being conducted to catch and sterilise all the dogs. Special teams were constituted to carry out the drive, the note said.

Besides, the officials met a few resident welfare associations and spread awareness about tackling the street dog issue.

“We were using the control pole to catch the stray dogs before. The dog catchers were given training to catch the dog using the control pole without causing injury to the dog. However, we have now procured dog catching hoops with butterfly nets for safer catching of the dog soon,” said an official, adding the step was necessitated following the directive of East Singhbhum deputy commissioner following recent incidents of dog bites.

Incidentally, the control pole had a cable with a release mechanism using a knob. The cable is in the form of a rounded shape loop and is used to put gently around the stray dog's neck. Thereafter using the cord the cable is tightened till the loop fits snugly into the neck. The pole is used to maneuver the dog to the transport van. However, hoops with butterfly nets are safer.

 “There are reports of around five cases almost daily of dog bites being admitted in hospitals across the city. Each day we have set a target of catching between 15 and 20 stray dogs. Yesterday the campaign was carried out at Mango areas,” said the official.

As per records available with the administration there are nearly 20,000 stray dogs in the city out of which since the sterilization programme around 11,000 dogs have been sterilized.  The dogs after being caught from a particular area are given colour codes to help in identifying the area from where they were caught so that they can be released in the same area.

The cases of dog bites in the city have witnessed a steep rise in the city. Cases of dog menaces are being reported from several places like Mango, Jugsalai, Sundernagar, Baghbera, Sakchi. A large number of cases are being reported daily in the city. The rising number of cases of dog bites needs immediate attention since the population of stray dogs have increased in the city. Apart from viral or bacterial fever cases, the largest number of cases reported this year is that of dog bites.