Surge in dog bites sparks fear among Andheri residents | Mumbai News

Mumbai: Residents near the pump house area in Andheri East are troubled by incidents of dog bites due to a growing stray dog population. Dogs bit a school student and two senior citizens recently. Another local fell and suffered a fracture after being chased by dogs.
Recently, a Class IX student was bitten badly by a dog. Similarly, a watchman and another resident were bitten by stray dogs in separate incidents. In another incident, a resident was so badly bitten that he needed immediate medical attention. The stray dog biting incidents and the increased number of stray dogs have disturbed the peace of residents in the locality. People, especially senior citizens and children, live in the constant fear of being attacked by the strays.
“There is a BMC school next to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Garden, near our society. Many school students use our society’s common road and cross the BMC garden to reach the BMC school, and they are routinely attacked by these strays. Even service delivery staff who come to the society are routinely attacked by these dogs. There are close to 25-30 stray dogs that roam around in the area,” said Anil D’Souza, a resident of Vastu Shubh B housing society.
“Members of various societies appealed to the BMC to neuter all the dogs and vaccinate them too,” D’Souza added. A BMC veterinary department official said that a civic team visited the area and assured the residents that their concerns would be looked into. “Usually, we capture the dog from the area and keep the dog under observation as per guidelines. Upon completing the requisite observation period, the stray dog is returned to its original location,” the official said.
Mumbai: Residents near the pump house area in Andheri East are troubled by incidents of dog bites due to a growing stray dog population. Dogs bit a school student and two senior citizens recently. Another local fell and suffered a fracture after being chased by dogs.
Recently, a Class IX student was bitten badly by a dog. Similarly, a watchman and another resident were bitten by stray dogs in separate incidents. In another incident, a resident was so badly bitten that he needed immediate medical attention. The stray dog biting incidents and the increased number of stray dogs have disturbed the peace of residents in the locality. People, especially senior citizens and children, live in the constant fear of being attacked by the strays.
“There is a BMC school next to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Garden, near our society. Many school students use our society’s common road and cross the BMC garden to reach the BMC school, and they are routinely attacked by these strays. Even service delivery staff who come to the society are routinely attacked by these dogs. There are close to 25-30 stray dogs that roam around in the area,” said Anil D’Souza, a resident of Vastu Shubh B housing society.
“Members of various societies appealed to the BMC to neuter all the dogs and vaccinate them too,” D’Souza added. A BMC veterinary department official said that a civic team visited the area and assured the residents that their concerns would be looked into. “Usually, we capture the dog from the area and keep the dog under observation as per guidelines. Upon completing the requisite observation period, the stray dog is returned to its original location,” the official said.