Citizens demand steps to rein in stray dogs in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Four days after a pack of stray dogs mauled a two-year-old child to death in the Golconda area, the veterinary wing officials of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) inspected the area where the horrific incident occurred on Tuesday night in Bada Bazar. They decided to install fencing, but the kin of the boy demanded amendments in dogs' rules.

This is the second most horrific incident that occurred in the city, after last year incident where a nine-year-old boy was also mauled to death by four strays in Bahadurpura. Even elderly people have also registered complaints of being attacked by strays. In another incident, a 71-year-old resident of B S Maqtha, Begumpet, registered a complaint with the Begumpet police about being attacked by a stray.

According to GHMC officials, as of January 2021, there are around 4,64,000 (stray) community dogs in Hyderabad.

The veterinary officials, along with AIMIM Karwan MLA Kausar Mohiuddin, inspected the Bada Bazar and Saat Galli areas, where the boy died after being attacked by strays.

Residents said dogs take shelter in the military area during day and stray into colonies and lanes in evening in search of food and attack children and elderly.

The MLA asked officials to install fencing so that dogs could not enter residential areas. But the locals said only fencing would not help; a permanent solution has to be found

Noticing the life-threatening incidents of strays attacking children and mauling them to death, the kin of the boy and many other citizen as wells residents of areas, where dog menace has increased, have demanded the State government to bring amendments to the Animal Birth Control (ACB) (Dogs) Rules, 2001, and also changes in Section 11 (1) (i) and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA) 1960.

The ACB rules state that stray dogs operated for birth control cannot be captured or relocated by anybody, including any authority. The PCA Act says that abandoning any animal for any reason can land someone in prison up to three months.

But the citizens disagreed; Mohammed Ahmed, a student of Golconda, said, "when amendments can be brought to the Constitution why can't the government bring changes in the ABC Rules, 2001 and PCA Act. 1960."

He said innocent children are losing lives; many parents have lost loved ones in dog attacks in Hyderabad. The GHMC only takes up drive on population control, but again stray dogs are left in the same area and locality.

Md Ayan's father who lost his nine-year-old son after being attacked by four strays said there need to be change in rules, "It was very difficult for me and my family to see our little child's body with dog bite injuries. We don't want the same to happen with other parents. But still cases of dogs chasing children and attacking them to death are increasing in the city. The amendments to laws will save many children's lives," he said in a low and sad tone.