The stray dog issue in Goa becomes a major public concern whenever dogs bite or attack residents and tourists, drawing criticism of the State Government. Despite writing to the Chief Minister and the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), which subsequently took up the matter with the Animal Husbandry Department, there has been no action to sterilise stray dogs in our locality. Shockingly, even the mandatory counting of stray dogs, as directed by the Honourable High Court, has not been carried out. Does this reflect such indifference on the part of the authorities? The Government must ensure effective sterilisation programmes and proper dog population management to prevent further attacks and safeguard public safety.
Incidents involving dog bites at beaches such as Benaulim and Morjim have raised concerns among tourism officials and local representatives about public safety and Goa’s reputation as a tourist destination. Official records reportedly cite thousands of dog-bite cases annually, with more than 19,000 cases mentioned recently. However, organisations such as the Goa Animal Federation dispute these figures, arguing that hospital records include rabies vaccination cases and bites from different animals rather than only verified stray dog attacks. Many incidents in local neighbourhoods also go unrecorded. Factors such as food scarcity following the closure of beach shacks, territorial behaviour among packs during the littering season and increased aggression during mating periods have also been cited as contributing to the problem.Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has announced drives to remove and rehabilitate stray dogs from public beaches. The Goa High Court and Supreme Court have also stressed the need to expedite Animal Birth Control (ABC) sterilisation programmes and ensure effective public safety measures. But where are the Government funds allocated for these programmes going? I had sought audit reports of animal welfare NGOs to understand how the funds were being utilised, but was provided with unrelated reports. This raises serious questions about transparency and accountability. Local representatives must also work towards establishing dedicated dog shelters to manage aggressive packs. The Government must move beyond announcements and ensure effective implementation before more people fall victim to dog attacks.
Rajesh Banaulikar, Arpora
