I have been residing in St Anthony Vaddo, Guirim since 2017, wherein the norm, it seems, is that most dog owners, wilfully leave their dogs to inhabit the village road outside my house. These dogs continue to litter every year thereby increasing the stray canine population in leaps and bounds, no pun intended.
There is also the life-threatening issue of dog bites and attacks everytime a visitor or vehicle passes by, leaving my relatives and myself fearfully anxious whenever entering and exiting my property.
I've witnessed anti-rabies mission teams dutifully come and go, but what about the education of dog owners, so that village roads may be safer and cleaner?
I have tried my best to speak with the neighbours concerned, but have so far met with pointed indifference and defiance. I, being a newcomer and therefore, an outsider, have been told as such, namely, to "shut up and get out, you're teaching us?".
This letter seeking newspaper coverage in the dog menace issue, has been prompted after an ugly yelling match with my neighbours, due to their dogs roaming in my property around 4.30 am causing an infernal nuisance till 5.10 am, whereupon two individuals opened my property gate and left it open deliberately.
This issue of dog menace in villages in Goa, the ever-increasing canine population, the nuisance caused by dog owners who refuse to train, control or leash their dogs; especially in Mapusa and Guirim areas needs to be highlighted.
Evelyn Mascarenhas, Guirim
