It is now the turn of Divar it seems, to come under the attack of a pack of around 1,500 stray dogs on the island who are threatening the lives of the residents and altering the demographic pattern of this beautiful and tranquil ilsland of Divar, with a meagre population of 5,000-6,000. Even more shocking is the report of 2 cases of rabies in the island, despite the tall claims of Goa being a rabies-free state. It is easy to point fingers at outsiders who, it is alleged, abandon stray puppies on the island. The unpalatable fact is the failure of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary service and a few concerned NGOs to sterilise and contain the proliferation of strays. The situation is serious and calls for immediate attention of the Goa government, lest we reach a situation of no return of the destruction of our villages after our pristine beaches.
