After dog attack on boy, OMBR Layout residents ask BBMP to relocate strays

Bengaluru: In the wake of a 12-year-old boy sustaining grievous dog bite injuries, the residents of OMBR Layout in Banaswadi appealed to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Tuesday to rehabilitate and relocate a pack of 37 dogs in their area. 

Residents say dogs have been attacking passersby, triggering road accidents in the old residential area. The menace has been aggravated by strangers feeding dogs raw meat. 

"These aren’t vaccinated dogs. There are many children and old people in the area and we are now afraid of an outbreak of animal-borne diseases due to excessive stray dogs," said Jeevan, the father of the boy who was attacked.

According to Jeevan, it is the civic body's moral and legal responsibility to ensure the safety of residents. 

Amit Nigli, a resident activist, said it had become nearly impossible for people to walk on the road. "We avoid the road based on the movement of dogs and take other routes to travel," he said.

Commenting on the accountability of the BBMP, he added that animal husbandry officials have not been monitoring animal birth control measures in regulating stray dog population. 

Praveen Gupta, an 80-year-old resident, said his granddaughters have been victims of dog bites thrice. 

According to him, food delivery workers, unaware of the situation, are prone to get attacked late at night when the dog activity is high. "These men cannot even afford to get treated in case of attacks," Gupta said. He suggested that the authorities bring awareness among people about hospitals that are equipped with the rabies vaccination. 

Snehal R, BBMP's Zonal Commissioner (East), noted that as an immediate measure, civic body officials would visit the residential area and ensure the dogs are neutered. In case of identifying "crossbred ferocious dogs", she said they would be immediately relocated to shelter homes.