Impact doubtful as Vellore plans to sterilise 10% of 12K stray dogs

VELLORE: The Corporation’s move to conduct animal birth control (ABC) operation on stray dogs within city limits will have only a limited effect as at present it is possible only to sterilise 1,200 of the 12,000 dogs roaming around the Corporation’s streets, sources revealed.

Consequent to regular complaints about stray dog menace in Vellore town, the local body started conducting the ABC operations on street dogs from Wednesday.

Inaugurated by Vellore Mayor Sujatha Anandakumar in the presence of Deputy Mayor Sunil Kumar and Commissioner P Ashok Kumar at the government veterinary dispensary near Muthu Mandapam on the banks of the Palar, officials said it was planned to cover 1,200 dogs at a cost of Rs 9.90 lakh in about three months.

Senior officials seeking anonymity said it cost Rs 1,650 per dog to undergo this operation and hence the Corporation was in a position to shell out only Rs 9.90 lakh of the total cost of Rs 19.80 lakh. “The remaining portion would be funded by the animal welfare board (AWB) Corporation Commissioner Ashok Kumar told DT Next.

The Corporation officials aver that it will cost Rs 1 crore to provide ABC to all the 12,000 dogs in Vellore and for the cash strapped local body this is out of the question.

Also, dogs undergoing ABC will be provided Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV) he said. However, veterinary doctor Ravi Sankar when asked about the effectiveness of ARV said, “it has to be given once a year. Usually only pet dogs get this treatment whereas this is never undertaken for stray dogs.”

Hence, the question in the minds of people living in areas where there is a heavy population of strays is, “what will happen when the one year is completed? Will they be vaccinated again or will we be at their mercy as before?

It may be recalled that stray dogs going on biting sprees in Sholingur (Ranipet district) and in Tirupattur town (Tirupattur district) were reported recently. An eight-year-old who had to be hospitalised due to stray dog bite forced the public to demand for action. “Stray dogs attacking humans is a sign that they are rabid,” Dr Ravi Sankar said.