Stray dog bites 10 in Angamaly; municipality says canine now in captivity

Ten people were bitten by a stray dog near Old Market Road in Angamaly on Friday night, with the incident occurring around 8:30 p.m. The victims sought treatment at nearby hospitals and were said to have escaped with minor injuries, according to the Angamaly municipality.

Municipality Vice-Chairperson Wilson Mundadan said the dog had been caught and was being kept in captivity under observation.

Lathika Rajan, a member of the municipality's Health Standing Committee, said those bitten approached the Government Taluk Hospital in Aluva, the Government Medical College in Ernakulam and a nearby private hospital. No one was seriously hurt, and all of them were discharged after receiving primary medical care, she said.

Mr. Mundadan attributed the rising stray dog population to the abandonment of pet dogs on the streets. He estimated that the municipality now has around 600 to 700 stray dogs. A similar incident a few months ago involved a stray dog biting about 20 people, after which the municipality provided monetary compensation to all of them, he added.

An anti-rabies vaccination drive was conducted in the municipality earlier this year, Mr. Mundadan said, but the local body is yet to begin the Animal Birth Control Programme. He said there is no space to house dogs after surgery, and that the municipality has requested the allocation of land near the Angamaly Government Veterinary Hospital, under the Ernakulam District Panchayat, to build the infrastructure needed for sterilisation activities.