Street dogs have instilled fear in the minds of the people in Panoor municipality after several cases of dog bite were reported from the area in the past few weeks.
On Tuesday, four persons, including P. Sajeevan, CPI(M) leader and former Panoor local secretary, suffered dog bites.
Incidentally, the incidents are being reported at a time when the municipality has taken a decision to ensure the protection and care of street dogs.
The municipality has joined hands with the Thalassery unit of the Indian Veterinary Association to implement a project named Nammudaey Naadu, Nammudaey Nayi (Our village, our dog). The project is intended to reduce the number of stray dogs by encouraging people to adopt them.
However, within weeks of its launch, more than 15 dog bites and several other cases of dog attacks were reported in Panoor.
Mr. Sajeevan said that he was on his way home when a street dog, which charged at him from behind, bit him in the leg.
He said that the municipality had done little to reduce the dog menace. The animals should not be killed but some projects such as animal birth control could be implemented, he said.
Janakiya Vedi Kannur district general secretary E. Maneesh, said that recently, a small child had narrowly escaped being killed when street dogs attacked her from all sides. The dogs had torn down her dress and she escaped after an adult came to her rescue.
Even though the municipality had launched the project, no steps had been taken yet, he said.
Meanwhile, Municipal Chairman V. Nazar admitted that dog bites were taking place in the municipality. The civic body was taking measures, and as part of this, it was planning to vaccinate the dogs and implement animal birth control measures for which ₹15 lakh had been allotted, he said.
