Despite court order, no respite from dog menace in Phagwara

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Phagwara, October 9

Despite a Punjab and Haryana High Court order mandating all dog owners to register their pets with their respective municipal authorities, the Phagwara Municipal Corporation has been dragging its feet on the issue.

Even though dog owners are also required to leash their pets and to clean up after their canines when out on a walk, the municipal corporation has not taken any step to ensure the enforcement of such rules.

There is still no respite from the dog menace and residents carry sticks to ward off a potential stray dog attack.

Dr Ashok Sharma, a resident, said, “There should be greater focus on sterilisation, in order to cap the stray dog population.” Another resident, Dr Puneet, rued, “There is also an issue of dog poop lying around everywhere. The pet owners who do not clean up after their pets are to be blamed for this.”

It is estimated that around 4,000 stray dogs are there in the city. Notably, there has also been a rise in the number of dog bite cases.

When contacted, Senior Medical Officer Dr Kamal Kishore said, “More than one case of dog bite is being treated at the Civil Hospital every day.”

Ashish Kumar, Assistant Commissioner, Phagwara Municipal Corporation, told Jalandhar Tribune, “The MC will soon launch a campaign for raising awareness among the pet owners about cleaning up after their pets.”

He added, “The MC will also launch a programme to sterilise stray dogs. A public announcement would be made regarding this soon.”