Goa is facing a growing crisis with its stray dog population leading to increase dog bites which is deeply disturbing for its people and for tourists. Goa was once considered a rabies-controlled state, but the increasing dog bite incidents raise concerns about the spread of rabies. Unprovoked attacks by aggressive stray dogs have become a menace plaguing the state. Govt has not conducted a formal assessment of the Animal Birth Control programme’s effectiveness in controlling the stray dog population. However, it remains the primary mechanism for managing the issue. The local governing bodies are doing nothing to curb the population of dogs and indiscriminate feeding by dog lovers and dumping of wastes, will only increase the numbers leading to more attacks on humans. Most of these unfortunate cases go unreported and the helpless victims are left to fend for themselves and deal with the trauma of dog bites. The people of Goa are now calling for a pragmatic, enforceable policy before more lives are lost. In this era of dog love, real and perceived, where are the human rights of those whose security is threatened?
