Fear grips Shimla: Residents demand concrete policy to tackle stray dogs, monkeys

The Shimla Nagrik Sabha staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Monday, demanding immediate action against the growing menace of stray dogs and monkeys in the city. The protesters urged the authorities to formulate a concrete policy to address the issue, which they said has created an atmosphere of fear among residents.

The Sabha demanded that aggressive stray dogs be captured and kept in shelters, while the monkey population should be gradually controlled through scientific culling. They also suggested promoting the adoption of stray dogs by animal lovers and called for strict action against those who feed animals indiscriminately in public spaces.

Jagmohan Thakur, president of Shimla Nagrik Sabha, said incidents of dog and monkey bites are being reported frequently, posing a serious threat to public safety. He accused the MC of “inaction,” stating that measures remain confined to paperwork with little visible effort on the ground.

Following the protest, a delegation of the Sabha met Mayor Surinder Chauhan, Deputy Mayor Uma Kaushal and MC Commissioner Bhupinder Kumar Attri, urging them to take firm and effective steps to resolve the issue.