The people in Belagavi submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patil telling him that it is high time now to start the ABC program. But what exactly is the ABC program?
The ABC program stands for Animal Birth Control Program which is a high-burning issue in Belagavi right now as the cases of dog bites are increasing day by day.
The people of Belagavi, including animal activists, animal welfare NGOs, and animal lovers have urged DC Nitesh Patil to conduct the ABC program on an immediate basis.
ABC program came to light when there was a talk about the mass killing of stray dogs in Belagavi to control the increasing number of dog bites, veterinary doctor Praveen Mathapati, Varun Karkhanis of Belgaum Animal Welfare Association (BAWA), and Animal Activist Sourabh Savant and Nikita Kunte told media.
They condemned this act and urged the people and DC Nitech Patil to run the ABC program to put a stay on the increasing population of dogs in Belagavi which will eventually stop the dog bites.
What is the ABC Program in Belagavi
The ABC program is all about Animal Birth Control. The program basically focuses on reducing the population of animals by various means despite killing them.
The various methods used to reduce the population of animals include catching, spaying, neutering, vaccinating, and then releasing. This is a much better way instead of killing them which is illegal and inhumane.
The ABC program was first introduced in the 1990s to control the birth of stray dogs which was a massive problem at that time and the cases of dog bites was also huge.
After running this program, the situation came under control and the cases of human rabies also declined. There is a complete procedure guideline by the government for conducting the ABC program properly.
What can be Done in Belagavi to reduce the number of Dog Bite Cases
According to veterinary doctor Praveen Mathapati, there is a need to increase awareness among the people of Belagavi on how to behave with stray dogs. People usually get rude, throw stones, and hit them with sticks. Not animals but anyone would attack him he/she be treated like this.
People should behave nicely, especially when they are sleeping or feeding their young ones. The dogs won’t attack if they are not harassed. He also urged people to feed the start dogs which will keep them healthy and this will maintain a good relationship.
He added,
- there is a need to create an awareness
- teachers and parents should be aware of the children’s compassion toward animal
- there should be an animal-friendly environment
Recent Cases of Dog Bites in Belagavi
According to a recent report by the District Health and Family Welfare Department, there have been 44,417 dog bite cases in Belagavi in the last 16 months. This includes a total of 34,479 cases of dog bites in 2023 and 9,938 cases from January to April 2024 alone.
If you take the average of only this year, there have been 82 daily cases of dog bites in 2024 from January to April which is very alarming.
According to TOI, the members of the Advocates Association of Human Rights (AAHR) warned the local authorities to either control the dog bite cases or they have to move to the high court for this concern as the Belagavi City Corporation has completely failed in doing so till now.
How Many Stray Dogs in Belagavi
As per a recent report by the Animal Husbandry Department, there is a total of 77,000 stray dogs in the Belagavi district and 15,000 alone in Belagavi city. This number is increasing day by day and this is the reason for an increasing number of dog bites.
In 2023, the average daily number of dog bites is 94 which is quite alarming and the authorities are not able to do anything.
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