In the last six weeks, much has changed in the location of stray dogs in HSR Layout. The saga began when Member of Parliament Kupendra Reddy, a resident of Sector 1, was attacked by stray dogs in Sector 1 on October 11. Seven dogs were impounded. Later, the dog lovers of HSR complained that 60 dogs were missing from their areas in HSR as someone had taken them away. While the BBMP officials say that they have nothing to do with their missing status, residents allege that some unlicenced dog catchers could have relocated them illegally. If this is the case, it will do more harm than good to the residents.
“We catch dogs only during the day and only till 2pm,” said Ravikumar of the BBMP’s Animal Husbandry department. “The residents have filed a police complaint that someone is catching dogs at midnight when we never operate. Only the cops who are investigating the case can reveal the truth behind this mystery.”
DOG ATTACKS HAVE BECOME MORE COMMON
The missing dogs and the relocations are showing an unhealthy trend. Residents in Sector 3 and Sector 4 are reporting dog attack incidents regularly in the last few weeks. When the dogs are removed from one area and relocated elsewhere, they get aggressive and it results in turf wars with the dogs that are already in that area. On top of that, if dog births are taking place, the mother gets aggressive to protect her offsprings. And this is what should not have happened if the BBMP contractor was doing his job well. All the strays are to be vaccinated against rabies and sterilised to prevent any more pups.
Says Sector 4 resident Geetha VM: “These 6-8 dogs always camp on 15th main road and chase any new person crossing that way. They were the ones who attacked the 3 year old boy recently.”
Resident Murli KN reports that a similar pack has grown up around 14th and 13th Cross-17th Main of Sector 4.
The case in Sector 3 is no different. “There is a pack of stray dogs on 18th main near the back gate of HSR Club,” says resident Prashanth. “Some people are feeding these dogs every day. I have been attacked by these dogs quite a few times. These dogs are not sterilized.”
Resident Ravindra Karki says, “I think there are puppies there somewhere… so may be because of that, they are biting… or any disease? Else, they never used to bite… I have walked many times on these streets.”
Prashanth had an answer to this as well: “I use this road almost every day. They have tried to pounce on me a few times while I was driving on a two wheeler. Their pups are grown ups now. Some residents are feeding them regularly. This attracts more stray dogs. These residents should rear these stray dogs inside their premises so that others are safe. This road is also used by many school children and also I see some children from the neighborhood playing on this road. Some action should be taken against such residents for putting the public at risk. If they are dog lovers, let them rear these stray dogs inside their premises. There is nobody to stop them.”
Sector 1 resident Kavitha Reddy fears that unlicenced dog catchers are ruining the ecosystem. “In the last two weeks, these people drove away dogs to areas where people don’t have a voice. There are many complaints how displacement of dogs is more dangerous.”
According to the Supreme Court order, after the dog is caught by the BBMP contractor, it has to be sterilised and returned to the same road where the stray was picked up. That’s because the strays are territorial and may not be able to survive in a new area.
WHAT IS THE FUTURE?
The BBMP is developing a dog app which will involve geotagging every dog that is sterilised and let out in the open. The app should be up and running by March-April 2019. All the problems of relocation and sterilisation will be resolved when that happens.
WHAT NOW?
If you are being attacked by strays regularly on a particular road, it’s time you called one of the following people to pick up the dog, sterilise it and leave it back on this very road where you saw them. Please remember that if the dog is relocated, it will become more aggressive and the attacks will not stop.
BBMP veterinary inspector Mahantesh: 73492-20923
Dr Sadashivappa Gaddi, BBMP dog catching contractor for Bommanahalli: 98441-23367
