Dog-bite cases in Ludhiana increase by 24% in a year
According to monthly data of 2022, as many as 72 dog-bite cases were reported in January in Ludhiana, 750 cases in February, 820 cases in March, 822 in April and 763 cases were reported in May
The number of dog-bite cases in Ludhiana has gone up by 24% in a year. As compared to 6,100 such cases recorded in 2021, the figure has already touched 7,856 till November this year.
Despite Animal Birth Control (ABC) measures by the municipal corporation, dog-bite cases have been on the rise in the district.
According to monthly data of 2022, as many as 72 cases were reported in January, 750 cases in February, 820 cases in March, 822 in April and 763 cases were reported in May.
Along with these, 728 cases were reported in June, 781 in July, 693 in August, 642 cases in September, 577 in October and 508 were reported in November.
The civic body announced ‘Rabies-free City’ project last year under which the MC planned to vaccinate all the stray dogs in the city with anti-rabies vaccine in a phased manner. In the first phase, the MC had planned to vaccinate 25,000 dogs at a cost of ₹8 lakh. But the dog catchers are struggling to finding stray dogs which haven’t been sterilised.
Member of implementation committee of MC Dr Harbans Dhalla said, “ We have sterilized 26,075 dogs from June 8, 2021, to November 30, 2022. The population of dogs have decreased, which at present is around 30,000.”
Residents said there should be a deadline for sterilization and a permanent solution to incidents of dog bites should be devised.
A resident of Dugri Phase 1, Ranjit Singh, said, “Stray dogs have spread fear in the area. At times, we do not go out. The dogs sit over cars. The MC had operated the dogs, but they were released in the locality again.”
He said stray dogs should be relocated, especially those who start biting people. Dog shelters should be set up outside city limits, he added.
Males bitten more
As dog-bite cases continue to rise in Ludhiana it has been observed that males have been bitten more by dogs as compared to females.
According to the data, 4,770 males were bitten by dogs in 2022 till November, whereas 1,230 females got bitten by dogs in same period.
Nodal officer, anti-rabies programme, Dr Sukhdeep Kaur said, “There is no shortage of anti-rabies injection. On average, 10 to 15 dog-bite cases come up every day.”