The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : City dogged by stray dog menace

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 06, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

City dogged by stray dog menace

M. Srinivas

Lanes and posh localities ruled by the canines

HYDERABAD: Stray dogs have taken over the city, striking terror and instilling fear in many residential colonies.

It is not just the lanes and bylanes of Gowlipura, Sultan Shahi and Lal Darwaza, but also posh localities like East and West Marredpally, Begumpet that are being literally ruled by stray dogs. They squat along the roadside in groups and make it near impossible for persons to pass through.

There are several instances in which employees returning home in the wee hours have been hounded by these dogs. Some of them have even met with accidents, while revving up their vehicles to outsmart the dogs in hot pursuit. Daytime is no better either as the canines dare residents to venture out.

Guarding ATMs

Dogs also hang around close to ATM centres during nights. "Whenever we go to an ATM centre, we find dogs sitting right at the door. If we try to shoo them, they pounce on us," said G. Vikram, a call centre employee and resident of West Marredpally.

The problem in slum areas is worse. At least 125 patients from these areas are seen visiting the Institute of Preventive Medicine at Narayanaguda on any given day for anti-rabies vaccine.

Migration

According to officials of the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad, dogs were migrating to the city from the surrounding nine municipalities. "These municipalities do not have dog squads to prevent stray dogs from entering the city. We are utilising all our resources to solve the problem," says Dr. P. Venkateswar Reddy, Chief Veterinary Officer at MCH.

He said that a Standing Committee has cleared the proposal of purchasing five more vehicles in addition to the existing five to catch stray dogs. Residents can register their complaints on following phone numbers: 24617017, 27537263 and 21568776.

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Andhra Pradesh