32 People Treated For Dog Bites In Kalatghar; Bhiwandi Records 3,292 Dog-Bite Cases In 4 Months
· Free Press Journal
Bhiwandi: Around 32 people in Kamatghar, Bhiwandi, were admitted within a few hours to the IGM Sub-District Hospital for treatment on Sunday. Two children among those who had injuries and were admitted to the paediatric ward, hospital officials said.
Dr Madhavi Pedhare of IGM Sub-District Hospital said that the children had Category III dog bites and were admitted for treatment. While local reports claimed that a single animal had attacked 32 people, this could not be specifically confirmed.
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The incident comes amid a steady number of dog-bite cases being reported across Bhiwandi. According to civic data, 3,292 dog-bite cases were recorded between April and July, with April reporting the highest number.
The monthly figures were:
April: 1,087
May: 907
June: 656
July: 642
Total: 3,292
Over 24,000 stray dogs, 7,000-8,000 sterilised
The incident has also brought renewed attention to the pace of the civic body's Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme.
The Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC) restarted its ABC centre on 11 November 2024, after the facility had remained shut for nearly 12 years. The sterilisation programme has been entrusted to Vets Society for Animal Welfare and Rural Development.
According to the civic administration, Bhiwandi has more than 24,000 stray dogs. Around 7,000-8,000 dogs have so far undergone sterilisation and vaccination, according to civic estimates. The corporation spends around Rs 1,440 on the sterilisation of each dog.
With thousands of dogs yet to be covered under the programme, questions have been raised over the pace at which sterilisation is being carried out and whether the existing capacity is adequate to address the city's requirements.
WATCH: Viral Video Shows Stray Dog Biting Woman Carrying Toddler In Pune; Child Falls During AttackAnimal lover raises concerns over post-operative care
Animal lover Dipti Deshmukh has raised concerns over the arrangements at the sterilisation centre. She alleged that dogs are sometimes released back onto the streets before their surgical wounds have completely healed after being marked on the ear for identification.
Deshmukh claimed that this could expose the animals to infection. She also alleged that some dogs had died after undergoing sterilisation.
She further alleged that dogs were not always provided timely food and that adequate post-operative treatment and care were not being provided at the centre. She also alleged that dogs picked up from one locality were sometimes released in another area.The allegations could not be independently verified.
Civic body says dogs returned to same location
BNCMC Health Department Assistant Commissioner Faisal Tatli said the civic body does not have an independent facility for treating stray dogs.
1,833 Dog-Bite Cases In Beed In 7 MonthsAccording to Tatli, dogs taken for sterilisation are kept under observation and, after the required procedure is completed, are released after around a week at the same location from where they were picked up.
The Kamatghar incident has once again brought attention to the number of stray dogs in the city, the pace of the sterilisation programme and arrangements for post-operative care.
With 3,292 dog-bite cases recorded in four months, the civic administration now faces the challenge of improving the pace and coverage of the ABC programme while ensuring that the required treatment and care are provided to sterilised animals.
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