Anti-rabies vaccination drive commences in Tirunelveli district

After the district administration and the local bodies were inundated with complaints of stray dog menace and dog bite even by pet animals, the Department of Animal Husbandry has started vaccinating the pet dogs at the doorstep of the owners from March 1

After the district administration and the local bodies were inundated with complaints of stray dog menace and dog bite even by pet animals, the Department of Animal Husbandry has started vaccinating the pet dogs at the doorstep of the owners from March 1.

An Animal Husbandry team, comprising veterinarian Shanthi (ph: 8072843427) and her assistant Uchchimakaali (ph: 9442568913) visited NGO ‘A’ and ‘B’ Colonies on Saturday (March 1). They, carrying the details about the pet animals in NGO ‘A’ and ‘B’ Colony, visited the houses and administered anti-rabies vaccine to dogs and other pet animals. Owners should pay ₹35 per animal towards vaccination charges.

The team will be visiting Perumalpuram (March 3 and 6), Krishnapuram (March 4 and 11), Maharaja Nagar (March 8), Aanaiyarkulam (March 10), Tirunelveli Town (March 13), Suththamalli (March 15), Tuckerammalpuram (March 17), and Konganthaanpaarai (March 18).

While anti-rabies vaccination drive has been launched, steps have not been taken to crush stray dog menace with local bodies in deep slumber despite hundreds of complaints from the public, councillors of urban local bodies, and ward members of village panchayats. Even though all councillors of Tirunelveli are complaining about the problems being caused by the stray dogs in their wards in every council meeting, steps have not been taken to catch the packs of street dogs moving roaming the streets of the city.

“There are no funds available with the Corporation to identify an authorised agency for catching stray dogs and sterilizing the animals to control the population. Since the sterilized dogs have to be taken care of for a few days after the sterilization, we need funds. So, we cannot start this exercise even though the councillors and the public are complaining about the stray dog menace repeatedly,” said a senior official of Tirunelveli Corporation.

An official in the rank of the engineer of a municipality in Tirunelveli district confirmed that funds had not been allocated for controlling stray dog population through sterilization.

“Besides taking steps for sterilizing the stray dogs, the Department of Public Health should stock anti-venom drugs in the primary health centres and other hospitals as incidents of snakebite is on the rise after the onset of summer. Since the movement of snakes – both venomous and non-venomous – would be high in the summer as these reptiles would move towards relatively cooler places to find solace, it would often result in snakebites after inadvertent encounter with the humans. In one such incident, a teenager from Maanur area died of a snakebite a few days ago even as he was sitting in front of his house in the dusk. So, the Department of Public Health should ensure the stocking of anti-venom doses in the hospitals,” said a PHC doctor.