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ANIMAL TALK
Dogged by problem strays?
AMALA
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The stray dog menace needs an approach of caution and consideration
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HOME TURF Evicting existing dogs may lead to more dangerous ones coming into your colony
It is common for people to demand frantic explanations concerning their trauma with stray animals. "What are you doing about stray dogs?" or "What are you doing about monkeys?" or "I hate the way you are helping those wretched creatures - the dogs - they don't let me sleep at night! Why don't you help people instead?" I sympathise that stray animals can pose threat to people and it is important we know how to deal with them. So I have rephrased the questions into more appropriate ones dealing specifically with the problems in the hope that readers will be wiser in their efforts to interact with strays. Alone nothing can be done, but together we can do something constructive to create safe and healthy communities. Please read on... .
Two children were killed by street dogs. Don't you think it is time that all the dogs were rounded up and destroyed humanely for the safety of human beings?
If that was a solution it would have been done and completed by now and there would be no street dogs. But it does not work, never has and never will, because we have external garbage disposal. Kill the local dogs and new ones will appear within days. The new ones cause more threat because they do not know you, could be aggressive, rabid, roam in packs and attack. The familiar community dogs however, if made safe and docile through screening, sterilisation and vaccination, make the community safe by keeping out new dogs from entering. They are very territorial by nature. The World Health Organisation recommends this and wherever it has been implemented it has worked wonders. The community dogs become an asset to the community and provide rabies free zones. But wherever killing has been resorted to the dog attacks and bites grow in number and rabies is still rampant. Humane destruction is necessary but only for the dogs that attack and bite or show aggression. The others need to be protected to protect the community.
I can't sleep at night. The dogs bark and no one seems to do anything when I complain. What are you doing about the dogs?
A more appropriate question would be "What can you do?" That's the perfect question because the truth is that if you can't sleep, no one else will be concerned except you. So here is what you can do: Firstly you must have the entire locality cleared of garbage. Garbage breeds strays. Remove the garbage and they automatically migrate elsewhere for food. Then you need to find out if the dogs barking at night are street dogs or pet dogs. The loudest, throaty barks come from large breeds like German shepherds. The guarding pets usually start off the barking and their little street cousins join in to deter sinister intruders at night. They are actually doing a very important job in your neighborhood. If it's someone's pet then there is nothing you can do. However, you can get yourself a pair of sponge ear plugs like the one's on the airlines. They do a marvellous job of shutting out any disturbing sounds and give you a good night's sleep as well - dogs or no dogs!
The MCH never answer my complaints. They say you are not letting them remove the dogs. Why are you interfering?
Yes, I too wonder why they give you that impression. If you pay municipal taxes then you deserve their service. However, perhaps your complaint was vague or unreasonable. Did you complain that the dogs are biting? Well if you did and they gave you the lame answer that we are not allowing them to do anything- then you should have noted down the name of the employee and sent it with an official complaint letter to the MCH Commissioner immediately. It is the duty of the dog squad to remove any animal that is aggressive and a threat to the community. If they refuse to do so they must be reported to senior authorities.
There are a pack of large dogs that are very vicious and frightening, that follow me on my evening walk. What can I do? I do not want them hurt or killed.
You must call the MCH dog pound and complain. The threatening dogs must be removed and destroyed humanely. When a dog starts biting or chasing, the local people complain about all the dogs in fear and the entire lot are removed and killed.
They do not realise that new dogs will soon take their place posing more threat. The key is to get involved and ensure that only the aggressive ones, or the culprit is caught and removed.
If you simply leave it to the dog catchers they will catch and remove the gentle friendly ones instead for the sake of answering the complaint.
Are you willing to stand by and show them the dogs and help them catch the ones causing harm? If you do this, your community can be safe again.
Important phone numbers:
Blue Cross of Hyderabad: 23544355, 23545523
MCH Dog Pound: 24617017
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