Scheme to curb stray canine population clicks

NT NETWORK
PANAJI
The Goa Small Animal Rescue Management Scheme to control dog population, launched in July last year, and provide 90-100 per cent subsidy on vaccination and sterilisation, construction of sheds and purchase of vehicle, has evoked good response.
Under the scheme, department of animal husbandry, the authority which facilitates implementation of the scheme, has received around 20 applications from local bodies and of them nine were cleared and remaining are said to be pending for want of documents.
In this regard, the government on Wednesday released funds of Rs 52.16 lakh to nine local bodies including Nagoa, Velsao-Pale, Chicalim, Verna, Cortalim, Sancoale, Chicolna-Bogmalo, Majorda-Utorda-Calata and Mormugao municipality to carry out the required task under the scheme.
These local bodies have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Vasco-based People for Animal (PFA) organisation to control the birth rate of stray dogs by sterilising and vaccinating them against rabies.
The menace of stray dogs has been on the rise in the state, with nearly 13 road accidents involving stray dogs were reported since 2014 and as per the police department records, five fatal accidents have occurred in Colva, Margao, Sanguem, Valpoi and Mapusa.
According to 19th Livestock Census 2012 there are 16325 stray dogs in Goa with male outnumbering the female canine. However, the figure is now estimated to have reached around 40,000 of which 14,468 are pet dogs.
Officials from the department said as per the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 as well as high court directive, it was the responsibility of the local authority or the municipal bodies to work with Animal Welfare Organisations to control the population of street dogs.
Under the scheme, grants up to 90 per cent or Rs 2.70 lakh will be provided to the local bodies to finance a vehicle. The salary of the driver cum animal catcher will be covered with 100 per cent grants. The scheme will provide full financial assistance of Rs 5,000 to construct dog kennel with cages to house each dog during pre-and post-birth control surgery. Rs 950 will be provided as sterilisation and vaccination cost on each animal.
In the backdrop of increase in the number of dog bite cases, the state government had introduced the scheme ‘The Goa Small Animal Rescue Management Scheme, 2014’ giving grant-in-aid to animal welfare organisations through local bodies to overcome the menace of stray dogs. The government has also introduced one more scheme, that is, Short Scheme for Mission Rabies for mass sterilisation and vaccination of dogs with an aim to eradicate rabies from the state by 2018.
The UK-based Mission Rabies in partnership with state government has started massive vaccination programme for a period of three years on a 50:50 cost-sharing basis to make the state rabies-free by 2018. The organisation has vaccinated 30,783 dogs, of these, 16,315 are strays and 14,468 are pets during its six month campaign between April and September last year.
It is also equally important to reduce resources like food wastes lying on the road and other areas to tackle the issue of stray dogs, it has been highlighted. When there is limited resources, breeding of pups also goes down. There must be efforts on working on people’s attitudes to look at a solution-specific point of view. Sterilising of a dog brings down chances of dog bites, said an official.