IS CULLING OF INNOCENT DOGS THE ONLY SOLUTION TO CHECK STRAY DOG MENACE? – A CRITICAL REVIEW

Earlier isolated cases of a single dog biting or scratching used to come up but now we hear of pack of dogs targeting humans in the State of Kerela. While the Kerela government claims its response to the stray dog menace in the state is a mix of sterilisation and culling of stray dogs who are deemed 'dangerous', activists allege that stray dogs are being killed indiscriminately. While the essential anti - rabies drugs a re not available in government hospitals, the committee said private hospitals were charging excessively for anti - rabies treatment. Lack of enough veterinary surgeons, trained dog handlers and poor infrastructure at hospitals are crippling the ABC (Anima l Birth Control) programme in Kerala. Majority of local bodies are yet to switch over from traditional sterilization method to keyhole surgery, a standard procedure followed globally. The sterilization of dogs would reduce aggressiveness or ferocity in do gs. Moreover, a balance has to be struck and while the life of human beings should have precedence over stray dogs but stray dogs cannot be treated with indignity. T he stray dogs too have a right to live and only violent dogs could be eliminated only if they became a menace to the society. There has to be a balanced approach on the issue. Compassion should be shown towards stray dogs but at the same time, these animals could not be allowed to become a menace to the society