Dog bite cases in Nagpur set to break last 2 year’s record this time

NAGPUR: The number of dog bite cases between April-October 2022 in Nagpur city has almost reached 5,000 mark, which means the annual dog bite cases will most probably cross last year’s record of 6,806 by March-end. In 2020-21, the fewest dog bite cases (2,584) were reported in the last 5 years, as there was lockdown due to Covid-19. This means, if proper action is not taken, dog bite cases will break last two year’s record this time.
Important data about dog bites, anti-rabies vaccination, and sterilization was shared by NMC’s health office in reply to an RTI application filed by activist Sachin Khobragade. The reply shows that no sterilization was carried out since 2019-20, which could be the reason behind increased number of dogs, resulting in bigger dog menace in the last one year.
“I received the reply to my RTI query yesterday and I was shocked to know that there are just 71,000-odd stray dogs in entire Nagpur city as per NMC records,” said Sachin Khobragade, adding that the number must be more than a lakh at present. Khobragade had asked for details of the most recent dog survey conducted by NMC, to which the civic authorities shared a survey of 2017, which indicates no survey has been conducted since then.
Anti-rabies vaccination data is also worrisome. In the same reply, the civic authorities have accepted the city has more than 71,000 stray dogs, but the highest number of anti-rabies vaccination was done in 2017 and it was 32,082. Since then, the annual anti-rabies vaccination numbers have been dropping. During pandemic, it dropped to 6,838. This year (2022), NMC has vaccinated 13,483 dogs till October, with six months of the financial year still remaining. The vaccination has to be done every year.
Dr Tejas Wankhede, founder-secretary of Private Pets Practitioners Association, said that private groups and NGOs do vaccinate dogs against rabies but they lack resources like the civic body. “Anti-rabies vaccination is the only effective tool to ensure safety of people as well as dogs. NMC should ideally vaccinate at least 50% of the stray dogs every year,” he said.