The issue of packs of stray dogs attacking pedestrians and motorcyclists at night dominated the recent annual general body meeting of the Chitlapakkam Muthulakshmi Nagar Welfare Association.
“People returning home late from work by motorcycles or on foot are chased by these dogs, found in packs of 10-15,” said L. Sundararaman, president of the Association.
Such encounters have a crippling effect on senior citizens, women and children, points out Sundararaman.
On account of the stray dog menace, many walkers have stopped taking their daily walks. Dog owners are also not taking their pets out for walks, fearing attacks from the strays. “Mass sterilisation and vaccination is a long-term solution. Keeping the streets clean by not throwing garbage in the open could help to a certain extent,” M. Jayaraman, a resident of Chitlapakkam, said.
Among the other suggestions were constructing dog shelters and adoption of stray pups. “These dogs should be sterilised, vaccinated against rabies and shifted to dog shelters,” residents said.
