SRINAGAR: With the burgeoning dog population, the incidence of dog bites in Kashmir is witnessing a concerning surge.
Doctors have emphasised that the sterilisation and vaccination of dogs would serve as a potent means to manage their numbers, avert rabies outbreaks, and mitigate the occurrence of canine attacks.
They said that sterilisation is the only scientifically proven method of birth control for bringing the stray dog population under control.
“Every day, a large number of people are falling victim to dog bites. The canines are roaming the streets, chasing cars, pulling down bicycle riders, and frequently attacking pedestrians and school children,” they said.
A few days ago, a young boy died after falling into a drain while being chased by stray dogs in Srinagar.
A month ago, another young boy was mauled by dogs in Beighpora Awantipora in Pulwama.
The doctors treating him stated that the wounds were so severe that even his lungs were injured, highlighting the seriousness of the dog menace in Kashmir.
People from various walks of life questioned why the government was only active during the G20 summit.
They emphasised that it is time to take action now, as the situation will worsen in the near future.
People living in rural areas have been continuously complaining that dogs are caught in urban areas and transported to rural areas.
They also requested higher authorities to address the matter as soon as possible to avoid any inconvenience to the people.
Officials, who preferred to remain anonymous, informed KNO that the Animal Birth Control Programme, the only reliable way to control the population of strays, is yet to be fully implemented. Currently, only a few dogs are being sterilised at Shuhama, and that too only during the summer, which will hardly make any difference.
“There is a need to increase the number of sterilisations, and only then will it have an impact on the ground,” they said.
Dr Tawheed Ahmed, SMC Veterinary Officer, informed KNO that the sterilisation process is underway and the number of sterilisations is expected to increase as the new facility becomes operational very soon.
An official from the anti-rabies clinic at SMHS said that between April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023, a total of 6,875 bite cases were reported at SMHS Hospital, with the majority of them occurring in Srinagar.
Providing further details, he mentioned that in the past year, 4,912 animal bite cases were reported from Srinagar at ARC SMHS Hospital, 317 from Budgam, 201 from Baramulla, 134 from Kupwara, 168 from Bandipora, 301 from Ganderbal, 221 from Pulwama, 138 from Shopian, 147 from Kulgam, 85 from Anantnag, and 231 from other areas.
Providing yearly data of bite cases, the official stated that from April 1, 2015, to March 31, 2016, a total of 7,061 bite cases were reported at ARC SMHS, followed by 5,832 cases from April 2016 to March 2017, 6,802 cases from April 2017 to March 2018, 6,397 cases from April 2018 to March 2019, 6,139 cases from April 2019 to March 2020, 4,808 cases from April 2020 to March 2021, 5,469 cases from April 2021 to March 2022, and 6,785 cases from April 2022 to March 2023.
He added that a total of 49,383 cases have been registered at the Anti-Rabies Clinic from April 2015 to March 2023.
Rabies is an invariably fatal viral disease that results in approximately 59,000 human deaths per year globally, with 95% of cases occurring in Africa and Asia. (KNO)
