Dogged by danger in Visakhapatnam Premium

A tide of dog attack incidents in Visakhapatnam in recent months has caused fear and alarm among residents

A tide of dog attack incidents in Visakhapatnam in recent months has caused fear and alarm among residents. Notwithstanding sterilisation efforts by the municipal corporation, questions are being raised about the efficacy of its Animal Birth Control programme. B. Madhu Gopal explores the delicate balance between public safety and welfare of the city’s stray dog population

On March 4, four children playing on the street were attacked by a stray dog in the Vadlapudi area of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. They were treated at the local primary health centre.

Last September, a three-year-old boy was attacked by a pack of stray dogs at a construction site in VUDA Nagar, near Duvvada in the city. His parents, working nearby, swooped in to rescue him, averting grave danger to his life. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was administered an immunoglobulin injection followed by anti-rabies vaccination.

These incidents have reignited concern and anger among people, leading many to ponder upon how man’s best friend is fast turning into his worst enemy. Traditionally cherished as loyal companions, dogs are increasingly being viewed with fear and suspicion as cases of dog bites and attacks emerge with alarming frequency nationwide.

The gravity of the situation is evident in the rising cases of rabies. In 2023, eight people, admitted to the Government Hospital for Chest and Communicable Diseases (GHCCD) in Visakhapatnam, succumbed to dog attacks. Now, in the first quarter of this year, the toll has already reached five, painting a grim picture of an escalating public health crisis.

Sometimes, the presence of stray dogs offers a comfort to solitary road users on deserted streets. But for others, it often gets daunting, especially after dark. Residents of many colonies have expressed concern over the unchecked population of stray dogs, citing instances of canines chasing two-wheeler users at street corners, leading to accidents, and even unprovoked attacks on children and the elderly.

Subba Raju, an employee of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, recalls how he was bitten by a stray dog recently outside his home at Rajiv Nagar, Kurmannapalem, a buzzing neighbourhood in Visakhapatnam, while he was starting his motorbike. “There are over a dozen stray dogs in our street and just a few months ago, they had litters of puppies,” says Raju’s wife Sridevi, who runs a chicken shop in the area.