MARGAO
Target “ 500 stray dogs. Area of operation“Salcete coastal belt, from Cavelossim to Majorda. Mission “ Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme through sterilisation of stray dogs along the beach belt. Agencies “ Mission Rabies and Worldwide Veterinary Services.
Perhaps for the first time, a massive Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme was launched along Salcete coastal belt, playing host to world-famous beaches such as Colva, Benaulim, Cavelossim-Mobor, etc to control the population of strays on the beach belt.
Reason: The unprecedented operations come against the backdrop of recent incidents of dog attacks on visitors, including domestic and international tourists at Colva, Benaulim and Cavelossim-Mobor. The government’s initiative assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of fears expressed by tourism stakeholders that the dog attacks on visitors will spell doom for the tourism industry.
Director, Mission Rabies, Dr Murugan Appupillai said the objective behind the exercise along Salcete coastal belt is two-fold: One, to sterilise the stray dog population spread across the villages of Cavelossim, Carmona, Varca, Benaulim, Colva, Betalbatim and Majorda and secondly, to spread awareness amongst the local residents to stop abandoning puppies and dogs on the beach belt.
He also stressed on the need for education of the stakeholders, including the panchayat bodies on safe disposal of garbage. “Sterilisation, awareness and education should go hand in hand to achieve the objective and to see the desired results. Let us all work in the best of efforts and also love the animals,” he said.
Mission Rabies and WVS have so far identified around 500 dogs across the coastal belt. They have set a target to sterilise around 30 stray dogs a day in the next 19 days. The survey noted that Benaulim and Colva beach belt have the maximum number of stray dog population.
Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas, who launched the ABC programme in coastal Salcete, made a plea to the people to extend their cooperation and support to the two agencies involved in the exercise.
The Benaulim MLA urged the stakeholders, including the shack owners to identify the strays and help the agencies to get the dogs sterilised.
He also appealed to the people along the coastal belt to get their domestic pets for sterilisation after taking appointments with the two agencies. He thanked the officials of the Animal Husbandry Department, besides the representatives of Mission Rabies and WVS for supporting the initiative. “Avail the benefit of the camp since the agencies have planned to sterilise around 30 dogs per day,” he added.
