Stray dog attack: Kannur district panchayat files additional affidavit in SC; 465 children bitten in two years

New Delhi: According to an affidavit presented by the Kannur grama panchayat, stray dogs bite 30 children every day. The additional affidavit was presented to the Supreme Court. In the affidavit, district panchayat president P P Divya alleged that 465 kids had been bitten by strays in the previous two years.
Additionally, it says that there are 48,005 pet dogs and 23,666 stray dogs living in the area covered by the Kannur district panchayat. On the District medical officer's initiative, this number was included in the affidavit.

Many children who were bitten by strays suffered major injuries. The report also detailed how 11-year-old Nihal died as a result of being bitten by a stray dog.
The district panchayat asked the Supreme Court to allow the setting up of a three-person expert committee to decide whether to euthanize aggressive stray dogs. This should have representation from the animal welfare department, the head of the local body, and the public health department.

Kerala has been witnessing a steep rise in stray dog attacks with several being severely injured or dead. 

The 11-year-old speech-impaired boy, Nihal, was killed in an attack by stray dogs in Muzhappilangad in Kannur. The boy was differently-abled and faced speech-related issues due to which it is believed that he could not seek help amid the attack. There were bite marks on the victim's body, according to reports. He was brought to the hospital but later declared dead since the body was in a pool of blood after he went missing from home. 

According to reports, over 1.4 lakh stray dog attacks have been reported this year till the month of May. In the month of June alone, 25,230 people sought medical treatment in Kerala after the dog attack. 
 

• Stray dog attack in Kerala
• affidavit in Supreme Court