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New bite for 500,000 stray dog menace
View(s):With some 500,000 stray dogs reported to be on the roads and some 300,000 people becoming dog bite victims every year, the Local Government Minister is drawing up an urgent plan to meet this crisis.
Local Government Minister Faiszer Mustapha has been directed by the Cabinet to submit the plan within three weeks after he presented a proposal to amalgamate the anti-rabies vaccination progamme and the seterilisation of dogs.
Mr. minister said the plan would not allow any elimination of stray dogs, but there would be an intensified programme fore vaccination and sterilisation. He said discussions would be held with animal rights groups also.
The Health Ministry’s Anti-Rabies Unit Chief, Dr. P.A.L. Harishchandra, said the Government was spending Rs. 400 million to treat dog bites victims, Rs. 200 million for sterilisation of dogs and Rs. 30 million for anti-rabies vaccines.
He called on the people not to abandon dogs in public places such as places of worship.