According to the latest reports, citizens of Hyderabad have come forward and demanded that the responsible officials take measures in controlling the stray dogs that roam the areas.
The GHMC veterinary wing inspected the area near Bada Bazar on Tuesday night, four days after stray dogs mauled a two-year-old to death in the Golconda area.
The decision to install fences was made, but the boy’s family demanded changes to the dogs’ rules. There had been another horrific incident in the city that occurred last year as well when a nine-year-old boy was mauled to death by four stray dogs in Bahadurpura.
Older people have also complained about strays attacking them. A 71-year-old Begumpet resident reported that he was also attacked by a stray.
GHMC officials estimate that there are 4,64,000 (stray) community dogs in Hyderabad as of January 2021. Veterinary officials inspected the area where the boy was killed after being attacked by strays along with AIMIM Karwan MLA Kausar Mohiuddin.
The residents report that dogs take shelter in the military area during the day and then stray into colonies and lanes at night to find food and attack children and the elderly. The MLA requested the installation of fencing to prevent the entry of dogs into residential areas.
Locals, however, say that only fencing will not help; a permanent solution must be found. Due to strays attacking children and mauling them to death, the kin of the boy and many other citizens of areas where the dog menace has increased have called on the State government to amend the Animal Birth Control (ACB) (Dogs) Rules, 2001, as well as to amend Section 11 (1) (i) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA) 1960.
ACB rules prohibit anyone, including authorities, from capturing or relocating stray dogs operated for birth control. A person who abandons any animal, regardless of the reason, can face imprisonment for up to three months under the PCA Act.
However, the citizens disagreed. Mohammed Ahmed from Golconda said, “If amendments to the Constitution can be made, why can’t the government make changes to the ABC Rules, 2001 and the PCA Act, 1960?” He also said innocent children are dying; many families have lost loved ones to dog attacks in Hyderabad. The GHMC only focuses on population control, and stray dogs are left in the same area and locality.
ALSO READ: Two-year-old boy killed by stray dogs in Golconda
The father of Md Ayan, who lost his nine-year-old son after being attacked by four strays, believes that laws need to change: “It was difficult to see our little child’s body with dog bite injuries. We don’t want that to happen to other parents. But still, cases of dogs chasing children and attacking them to death are increasing in the city. The changes to laws will save many children’s lives,” he said.
(This story has been sourced from a third-party syndicated feed, agencies. Raavi Media accepts no responsibility or liability for the dependability, trustworthiness, reliability, and data of the text. Raavi Media management/ythisnews.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content at its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.)
