Stray dogs bite a Bengalurean every five minutes

With a ratio of 1:37 between humans and stray dogs in the city, the chances of being bitten by a stray dog are quite high. 

As per animal husbandry authorities, there are over 1.85 lakh stray dogs in the city and on average, a person is bitten every five minutes in the city. As per the report from the department, 19,488 persons were bitten by stray dogs in 2015.

The worst sufferers are milk vendors, paper vendors and scrap merchants who have to cross narrow by-lanes. The other largest victims are children, especially those residing in slums.

City authorities have appealed to the public to be watchful while entering any new area as stray dogs tend to attack newcomers.

Dr G Anand, Joint Director of Animal Husbandry Department, says the attacks are often the result of provocation. Racing past them on bikes or throwing stones at them irritates the dogs and hence they attack, he explained. 

"We have been doing Animal Birth Control (ABC) programmes and over the last year we have covered 35,000 stray dogs," he said and added that four ABC centers will be opened shortly for intensifying the programme. 

However, a source claimed to Asianet Newsable that the ABC was not giving any results, as the stray dog population was multiplying even where ABC was done thanks to sheer statistics. 

"If 100 dogs are operated and 25 dogs are missed, within six months, those dogs will give birth to large litters. A comprehensive method should be adopted and more ABC should be opened soon," the source added.

• Bengaluru
• Stray dogs