I live in a highly residential area, often dubbed the ‘seven' of Kandy. However, its amenities are enjoyed more by the canine population, than by us, the long-suffering rate-payers.

The dogs roam at will, in packs of five or more, strolling down the street, revelling in the unsightly mounds of garbage which litter the road-side, indolently lolling in the middle of the road. They disregard our territorial imperative, and saunter into our compounds, which serve as their toilets, posing a risk to domestic pets and children.

The high point of their lives occurs around midnight, recurring intermittently. A sustained ear-shattering chorus of barks, howls, yelps in different keys, disturb our sleep night after night, turning us into insomniacs. They must surely be indulging in a pub crawl!

The vociferous, now influential "canine rights" groups insist that the "stray dog menace” can be controlled by vaccinating and sterilising them,and returning them to 'familiar territory', which translates into the street where I live.

The majority of our dogs, however, seem to have evaded these groups as they do not wear the trade-mark red collar, making them all the more dangerous. I am now down to zero tolerance, and am about to get on to the internet, for the services of an Exterminator; the cost is of no consequence.