BANGALORE: The horrific case of eight dogs attacking an eight year-old girl and mauling her to death in Chandra Layout, Bangalore, on January 5, 2007, has raised the question of how and why street dogs gather at a place and why they turn hostile.

A survey of the area has provided a clear answer. Unauthorised meat and chicken shops abound in the area. They dispose of waste bones and skin of sheep and cattle, chicken waste, feathers, etc., in vacant sites in the residential area.

The street dogs, which are territorial creatures, have got used to easy food in these areas. Some have also become hostile.

A few years ago animal welfare organisations furnished a list of more than 2,000 illegal meat and chicken shops but not one has been closed till date. Easy availability of garbage and waste food is the main reason why the street dogs thrive in these residential areas.

Manjunath, a resident of Chandra Layout, says that even a month ago a dog had chased a boy and he had complained of this to officials. He said that meat shops in the area dump all the waste in vacant sites and it is impossible to walk in the area in the night because of the packs of dogs prowling around the vacant site.

Mohammed Hanif, another resident of the area (House No 167), said that he had complained to the local councillor about the local meat shops dumping waste in the vacant site which attracted these dogs in droves about two months ago but the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has not taken any action to close down these illegal meat shops.

To tackle the problem, residents must ensure that garbage is not dumped in the open, which, in turn, becomes the centre of attraction for these dogs. Despite several steps and the consequent reduction in the population of strays, dogs from other areas settle here because of availability of food.

Local MLA Somanna, BMP CommissionerJairaj and Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry on deputation to BMP Prakash Reddy visited the spot.

Compensation was announced to the parents of the victim. But till the city addresses the issue of garbage, these cases are bound to occur.

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