DogExpress
Punjab has recently witnessed 14 dog bite cases on an average each hour in the past 7 months. It is a situation termed serious by the health authorities.
According to the State Rabies Control Programme (SRCP) data, a total of 72,414 dog bite cases have been reported from 22 districts of the state till July. The SRCP authorities say as the August data is being compiled.
As per the SRCP data, dog bite cases in the other districts of Punjab were recorded to be 4343 in Sangrur, 5484 in Patiala 5486 in Hoshiarpur, 8000 in Ludhiana, and the highest 14390 in Jalandhar from January till July.
Many veterinarians suggest that stray dogs are the main contributors while in numerous cases, patients complain of bites by pets.
Dr. Preeti Thaware, SRCP program officer also said that the stray dog menace has grown in the past years.
The state also reported 1.1 lakh dog bite cases last year as against 1 lakh in 2017. The number was 1.14 lakh in 2018 and 1.34 lakh in 2019.
According to the Animal rights activist from Ludhiana and former member of the Animal Welfare Board of India, Dr. Sandeep Jain said that dogs tend to become aggressive during the monsoon, and it is the mating season this is the reason why they attack people due to excess body heat.
An official of the Animal Husbandry Department said, “District administration and the local bodies conduct dog sterilization, but Covid-19 outbreak hindered the exercise since last year. Various districts are working to initiate sterilization program.”
Source: Hindustan Times
in Chandigarh, India. 
