Frequently asked questions
Approximately how many Dogs are there in Bangalore?
What are the complications involved?
What are the statutes and laws made in this behalf?
What is the best way to deal with this issue of stray dogs?
What are the costs implications?
What are the solutions in hand?
What is the position of WHO on this issue of stray dogs?
Approximately how many Dogs are there in Bangalore? What are the complications involved?
It is estimated that there were 80,000 stray dogs in 1994, and by the end of 2000 this number had swelled to approximately 200,000. Further, dogs litter at least once a year, and even a six month old dog can litter.
The numbers of dogs vaccinated approximately each month by the various welfare bodies are as follows:
Anti Speciesism Trust- 600 Dogs
CUPA- 900 Dogs
KARUNA- 300 Dogs
Animal Rights Fund- 600 Dogs
KRUPA- 600 Dogs
TOTAL- 3000 Dogs
In addition to this CUPA also has a separate squad for re-vaccination. This is an exercise that needs to be repeated every year, to all the dogs lest the effect of the same wears off, as these vaccinations are effective for only a year. This squad carries out the re-vaccination programme in a planned manner in each health ward. The other bodies too, are involved in the re-vaccination programme. In addition to all this 25% of the dogs are to be euthanized amongst the number of dogs caught, which is normally carried out on the potentially dangerous dogs. This is being carried out by the BMP, Animal Husbandry Department.
What are the statutes and laws made in this behalf?
State Government Rules, Karnataka Police Act, 1963, Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1966 and the bylaws made under the Act obligates the authorities (BMP) to kill the stray dogs by prescribed means mentioned there under.
However an extraordinary notification from the Government of India, in a gazette under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, for Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001 notified on 24th December, 2001 from the ministry of culture clearly states, that, these rules shall override all the other existing rules, regulations or by laws provided that the said new rules are less irksome to the animals, than the ones already existing.
What is the best way to deal with this issue of stray dogs?
By:
ABC (Animal Birth Control).
ARV (Anti Rabies Vaccine) for dogs from the age of 3 months.
A planned out method of euthanasia.
Ensuring cleanliness in your neighborhood.
Citizens/Communities adopting their neighborhood stray dogs and administering vaccines yearly.
Since the number of stray dogs is too large, a sizeable number of dogs need to be killed and then the vaccination programme be administered for the remaining number of dogs. (source: Stray Dog Free Bangalore Society)
Points to ponder:
Dogs are territorial animals by nature, which means that if any dog is killed or driven out of a particular area, they are replaced by dogs from some neighboring locality or any other area. Food litter lying around becomes the most common source of invitation for dogs to that particular area.
Dogs give that local sense of security, by barking at intruders, at nighttime specially.
Most of the stray dogs are adopted (fed) by the locals, and therefore they are community pets, and not to be seen as a nuisance.
What are the costs implications?
per dog per annum
Anti Speciesism Trust- Rs 330
CUPA- Rs. 375
ARUNA- Rs. 400
KRUPA- Rs. 350
Animal Rights Fund- Rs. 400
The Central rates for the same are Rs. 450 –These are revised every year.
(Costs are per Dog and they include not only the costs involved in administering the drugs but also in covering the overhead expenses, i.e. doctor’s fees, the dog catcher’s salary, the diesel charges, the uniform expenses, the food charges, charges of the dog shelter, and the charges involved in administering vaccinations to the staff as a preventive measure)
Cost of complete treatment for dog bite is:
a. Rs. 10,000 for a third degree bite, inclusive of serum cost.
b. Rs. 1000 for normal bites and scratches that includes three shots of injection
Vaccination programme:
The following rates are only approximate and indicate the cost of vaccination Monitoring of Dogs was done by way of collaring the dogs. This however did not last long as these would get shred off during fights and squabbles with the other dogs. Clipping of ears is another popular method of monitoring Dogs.
What are the solutions at hand?
- Aggressive mass media campaign to improve public awareness about rabies, thereby, getting the citizens to participate in this exercise of stray dog elimination and responsible pet ownership.
- A rational, accelerated, better planned and scientific implementation of stray dog elimination programme that shall include both sterilization and euthanasia and enforcement of dog licensing.
- Replacing samples vaccine (sheep brain vaccine) by modern vaccines and making available life saving ARS (anti rabies serum) in BMP hospitals.
- Prophylaxis by cell cultured vaccine and not by NT (nerve tissue vaccine)is the measure to be adopted to eradicate this disease.
What is the position of WHO on this issue of stray dogs?
- Among human infections, rabies is believed to be the tenth most common cause of death.
- Reporting is often incomplete and the estimated 50 000 deaths per year may be an underestimate.
- Asia accounts for more than 90% of all rabies fatalities. India alone reports 30 000 deaths per year, i.e. an annual incidence of approx. 3 deaths per 100 000 population.
- There are still about 50-60 000 human deaths annually although effective vaccines for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) are available. India and Bangladesh alone account for more than half of the deaths.
- The ineffective control of the stray dog population in countries such as India and the too often unavailable and inadequate human PEP are responsible for this high mortality rates.
- Vaccines if used properly, when necessary in combination with rabies immune globulin and immediate wound treatment, are regarded as 100% effective in preventing death from rabies.
- The less efficacious and relatively dangerous nerve tissue vaccines need to be replaced with the more potent and safe cell-derived products with less vaccine-consuming administration schedules.
- Pre-exposure immunization is recommended for all individuals living in or traveling to rabies prone areas, or who are exposed to rabies by nature of their occupation.
- Efforts to eliminate rabies must involve vaccination of the animal host, mainly dogs.
- Post-exposure treatment is recommended for all category II and III exposures to rabies virus.
We often mistake culling for killing, whereas it is defined as the act of segregating, choosing or removing select members from a group, especially a herd. Therefore, when one says that stray dogs need to be culled, he/she is not implying that they be killed, but just be taken off the streets.