Ladakh administration looks for ways to tackle stray dog menace
Arjun Sharma
Jammu, April 15
With the population of stray dogs increasing by the day in Leh, the administration wants to get rid of the menace ahead of the tourist season in the cold desert.
The problem of stray dogs has become so intense in Leh town and neighboring villages that the issue was discussed at the meeting of Wildlife Department by the Lt Governor of Ladakh RK Mathur.
While the L-G asked the departments concerned to address the problem, he emphasised the need for handling the issue in a holistic, integrated and time-bound manner. Mathur directed the Wildlife Department to install bio-digesters to facilitate the production of manure for agricultural fields and minimise feral dog issue. He also asked for pollution control mechanisms such as bio-waste management in hotels on which these dogs feed. Feral dogs have been responsible for attacking people and livestock in different areas of Ladakh. There have been instances where dogs attacked and killed cattle of villagers. The Leh Municipal Committee (MC), which is working along with the Animal Husbandry Department to sterilise stray dogs, is facing severe staff shortage. There are only three persons who are handling the sterilisation process in the MC.
Stanzin Rabgais, executive officer, Leh MC, said due to staff shortage, sterilisation had become difficult in one of the highest inhabitable places of the world. “Waste dumps in and around Leh have emerged as one of the major reasons for growing stray dogs population. On the other hand, local residents also feed the dogs they bring into residential localities,” said Rabgais.
As per reports, there have also been instances of interbreeding of Himalayan wolves with feral dogs in Ladakh, resulting in a much aggressive breed of dogs that were responsible for attacks on cattle in villages.
