Hyderabad: To address the growing issue of stray dog menace in the city, principal secretary of Municipal Administration, Dana Kishore, convened a high-level meeting at the Secretariat on Monday, July 22, with officials from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the veterinary department, Blue Cross, and other animal welfare organizations.
During the meeting, Dana Kishore announced the formation of an apex committee, comprising senior officials from various government departments and members of Blue Cross, tasked with formulating an action plan to prevent dog menace and control dog bite incidents.
He emphasized the importance of an Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaign to raise awareness among resident welfare associations, slum-level federations, and schoolchildren about dog behaviour.
Kishore also directed the establishment of animal care centers in all urban local bodies (ULBs) of the state as a priority.
He called for a training program for sanitary workers, field sanitary assistants, women’s self-help groups, and mothers’ groups in every GHMC ward within the next week to educate them about the street dog issue. A similar training initiative will be extended to all ULBs in the state.
GHMC Commissioner Amrapali stated that the GHMC would conduct a survey of stray dogs in the city alongside a sterilization drive and anti-rabies vaccination campaign for street dogs.
She highlighted steps to promote pet dog registration, eliminate garbage spots that attract stray dogs, ensure proper food waste disposal by hotels, restaurants, and function halls, and mandate crèche facilities at construction sites to protect children of construction workers, who are most vulnerable to dog attacks.
Members at the meeting discussed the challenges in managing the stray dog menace and underscored the necessity of inter-departmental coordination. They also highlighted the need to educate pet dog owners and dog feeders.
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