Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Stray dog menace

This refers to the report "Animal lovers decry move to kill stray dogs in Karnataka" (March 6).

True, we are a nation that believes in ahimsa and shuns cruelty. But what has happened to our sense of proportion? Stray dogs kill innocent children on the streets of Bangalore and when the authorities decide to act, there is agitation to prevent the elimination of the stray canine killer squad. Where will such agitation lead us?

Seetharam Kodalapuram,
Secunderabad

* * *

A couple of months ago, a four-year-old schoolgirl was attacked and killed by stray dogs in Coimbatore, possibly because she was carrying a tiffin box. Some noise was made in the media. The only outcome seems to be a resolution to catch and sterilise stray dogs. I hope the Tamil Nadu Government will treat the problem seriously and take action like the Karnataka Government.

P.C. Ramakrishnan,
Coimbatore

* * *

No doubt, the death of two children by dog bites is shocking and tragic. But dogs can be eliminated in a humane manner. We should not go to the other extreme and kill street dogs indiscriminately, in some kind of knee-jerk reaction. The law may permit the authorities to kill ferocious dogs on complaint but it should not be used to eliminate the gentle and harmless ones. The authorities in Bangalore are reacting to the situation in an unreasonable, cruel, and shameful manner. They must concentrate on clearing garbage heaps and closing down unlicensed meat shops.

Sazana Jayadeva,
Bangalore

* * *

While it is extremely sad that two children were attacked and killed by a few violent dogs, it is unfortunate that the authorities could not find a better solution to tackle the dog menace. They have opted for the worst solution of culling stray dogs. It will certainly disappoint the families who feed these dogs leftover food. These dogs are virtually their pets. Not all stray dogs are ferocious. In fact, many are friendly and keep watch over the neighbourhood at night. A dog even saved a child from the devastating tsunami.

Had the authorities regularly supervised the disposal of garbage pits, particularly those where meat waste is dumped, the street dogs would not have attacked the children.

B. Jayanna Krupakar,
Surathkal

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