MARGAO
Incidents of stray dog attacks have resurfaced along the Cavelossim–Mobor beach stretch, raising concerns among the panchayat and tourism stakeholders in one of South Goa’s most prominent resort belts.
A British tourist became the latest victim when he was attacked by a pack of five to six stray dogs during an early morning walk on the beach. The incident occurred around 7 am, when the visitor was strolling along an isolated stretch of the shoreline.
The injured tourist was immediately rushed to a private hospital in Margao, where he is currently undergoing treatment for multiple wound injuries. According to local authorities, he remains in a state of shock and is expected to take several weeks to fully recover.
Cavelossim Sarpanch Dixon Vaz confirmed the incident, stating that dog bite cases have begun to rise again in the Cavelossim–Mobor beach belt.
“The tourist was attacked by dogs two days ago when he was on his morning walk. He was immediately taken to a private hospital and received treatment,” Vaz said.
The Sarpanch visited the injured tourist at the hospital and expressed concern over the incident. “It is unfortunate that something like this happens when someone is on holiday. The guest is still in shock,” he said, assuring that the panchayat would take up the matter with the government.
Vaz pointed out that similar incidents were reported last year, prompting coordinated efforts between the village panchayat and local hoteliers to address the problem in certain areas.
“Last year we had several dog bite cases, but after intervention from the panchayat and support from hoteliers, we managed to control the issue in one particular area. However, this latest incident occurred in a more isolated stretch of the beach where dogs appear to target early morning visitors,” he explained.
Authorities are now exploring ways to identify and isolate the aggressive animals.
The panchayat, Vaz added, has already written to the Tourism Department seeking assistance in tackling the stray dog menace, but no concrete support has been forthcoming so far.
The issue is not confined to Cavelossim alone. Stray dogs are commonly found along several beaches in the Salcete coastal belt, including the iconic Colva beach. While incidents of dog bites were reported last year as well, tourism stakeholders say that a long-term and coordinated solution from the authorities is still lacking.
