MARGAO
A meeting of stakeholders called by the South Goa District Collector Dr Tariq Thomas has resolved to carry out mapping of critical areas hit by the stray dog menace, and to lay special emphasis on educating the community on how to avoid dog bites.
The meeting also resolved to go for registration of dogs, beginning from January 1, by involving Mission Rabies which will coordinate with the Animal Husbandry department to formulate a plan on how to go about with the implementation with support from the municipalities and panchayat bodies.
Speaking after the meeting Dr Murugan of Mission Rabies told The Goan that the problem of stray dogs will be tackled on two different fronts -- by going in for registration of dogs with help of panchayats and municipalities and to spread education among people, especially along the critical areas, such as the beach belt, frequented by domestic and foreign tourists.
“One way to spread education amongst the people is to rope in the tourism department to provide education officers to hold programs on the beach belt. Stray dogs are found on the beach because of the availability of food. Once this food disposal is reduced, the number of stray dogs will reduce. For this to happen, we have to work out education programmes on the beach belt with the support of the community,” Murugan said.
GOACAN Coordinator Roland Martins said the meeting took serious note of the menace of stray dogs in the district and the rising number of dog bite cases. “We have asked the authorities to look into the question of mapping of certain areas, considered as critical. During discussion, it has come to light that the airport is a critical area. If this concept succeeds at the airport, the same can be extended to the beach belt, which has seen a rising population of stray dogs,” Roland added.
He pointed out that the District Collector has agreed to a suggestion to bring the tourism department on board in view of the stray dog menace along the coastal belt. “There’s a need to initiate confidence building measures by way of education that dogs should not be seen as an enemy,” he said.
The Animal Husbandry department is expected to hold meetings with the officials of the municipalities and panchayats with a view to set the guidelines on how to go about the registration of dogs and also decide on the budget heads to take the programme to its logical conclusion. “Hopefully, we expect the registration of dogs to commence from January 1, 2019,” Roland added.
