Mhow (Madhya Pradesh): Residents of Mhow and surrounding areas are living in fear as stray dog attacks have become an alarmingly frequent occurrence. In the latest incident, four children from Samarth Park Colony were badly injured after being bitten by a pack of stray dogs.
This is far from an isolated case. Similar horrifying incidents have been reported from other parts of Mhow town as well as the nearby villages of Ganglakhedi and Colonel's Academy Road area.
Just last week, three persons suffered bite injuries from strays on Colonel's Academy Road. In a particularly distressing event, two stray dogs entered a home on the same road and killed four pet cats, leaving the family traumatised.
The menace has reached such proportions that between 300-400 dog bite injections are being administered every month at health facilities in the Mhow tehsil region to victims of these attacks. However, civic authorities have yet to take concerted action to address the burgeoning stray dog menace.
Neither the Mhow Cantonment Board nor the local panchayats governing villages in the area appear to have a credible strategy to control the stray population and prevent further attacks on citizens.
While concerned residents and public representatives frequently discuss the issue at length, talks have not translated into a sustainable solution on the ground.
"We are living under constant threat from these stray dogs. Children are picking up lifelong trauma from such attacks at a tender age," rued Rakesh Sharma, a resident whose 8-year-old son was one of the victims in the Samarth Park Colony incident. "The authorities need to wake up and safeguard the wellbeing of lawful citizens," he added.
As panic grows among the local populace, the onus is now on the civic bodies to formulate an effective stray dog control policy through a combination of animal birth control measures, creating shelters, and promoting responsible pet ownership. Left unaddressed, this crisis could result in further innocent victims paying the price of official apathy and inaction.
