Livelihoods hit as strays kill 55 goats in Kanchipuram village

CHENNAI: Even as the recent Supreme Court order on Delhi strays continue to draw mixed reactions across the country, closer home in Edamatchi village near Uthiramerur, Kanchipuram district, the shepherd community has been left distraught as approximately 50 goats have been killed in a short span by aggressive and potentially rabid stray dogs.

With significant losses in livestock, many in the community fear their livelihoods are in threat. The attacks mostly take place at night when dogs come in packs and break into goat pens and maul the animals. Villagers report this has become a persistent problem.

The impact falls hardest on poor farm labourers who solely rely on goat-rearing for income. "The continuous loss of livestock to dog attacks is pushing us into severe hardships," noted a villager.

Compounding the crisis, goats that died from dog bites cannot be sold in the meat market due to fear of disease transmission.

The menace extends beyond livestock. Residents report they are frequently chased and intimidated by packs even during the day, resulting in several dog bite incidents requiring anti-rabies vaccination.

Despite repeated pleas to local panchayat authorities, villagers claim no effective action has been taken. Authorities cite legal restrictions on capturing or harming the dogs, and say they rely on NGOs like Blue Cross to help with catching strays.

Villagers are now pinning their hopes on the Supreme Court order directing states to control stray dog populations.