Luckily it did not turn out to be so but it could have allegedly been another Aligarh case. What, where and what is this Aligarh case? Most of us know but for those who are not aware – it was a horrible case of stray dogs attack on a strong and tall man who went for a stroll in the park. Many of us must have seen the video with goosebumps – courtesy the social media!
So what happened in Sector 75? It was reported by a senior citizen but the possible victim could have been a child. While running to catch a school bus, a child toppled and a pack of dogs lurched forward, allegedly to attack. Fortunately, the child was in a hurry so got up quickly to board the bus. But the onlookers felt that another attack was averted.
And guess what! It is not the only news about the most talked about animal. The canines continue to hog the limelight. There was a major fight but this time it was amongst the dog lovers. There is a lady resident who not only feeds but also gets the stray dogs vaccinated. A pet owner picked up a fight with this lady for feeding the stray dogs. His pet was sometimes bitten by the strays so he had an objection to feeding the dogs on the street. The argument took an ugly turn and the management committee and the police had to be involved. The residents were surprised to know that an argument or difference of opinion could have taken place between two dog lovers!
But let us not get into the nitty-gritty details of the argument and rather explore the possible solutions.
We all keep saying that this problem is increasing but when it comes to finding a solution to this problem we all just shrug our shoulders and pass the buck to the government and administration. But we must realise that the solution has to start with us.
Sterilization and vaccination of stray dogs are the only solutions to this problem which are both feasible and within the legal framework. Sterilization and vaccinations both help in controlling the stray dog population and also makes them less aggressive and they are less likely to bite. Many people say that these dogs should be killed or relocated but they must become aware that killing or relocating the dogs is both against the law and inhumane. Let us now come back to the solution and how we can go about it. All the residents especially the dog lovers of the sector need to play an important role in this. They need to understand that only feeding the dogs is not enough. If they truly care for them they must also understand their pain. It’s not seldom we see small cute puppies being born in different corners of our sector. Out of them, many die because of hunger, cold and being crushed by fast-moving vehicles. It’s a painful and heart-wrenching sight indeed. It has also been noticed that when the van from the Noida Animal Shelter comes to take these dogs for sterilization and vaccinations some dog lovers hide them and do not send them fearing that they will not be brought back. These people need not be scared as the animal hospital asks the people sending the dogs to sign a form and duly drop the dogs back at the same location within 3-4 days after due treatment. Since the dogs are friendlier with the dog feeders they can easily help in catching them for getting them sterilised.
