Rogue street dogs pose danger and should be eliminated?

Street dogs are really a nuisance for the two-wheeler riders particularly at night. Many a time pack of street dogs running after two-wheeler riders have caused accidents. In our country there are laws banning street dogs but who has the time to implement such laws? Earlier the Municipal Corporation team used to kill the rogue dogs with poisonous food. This happened long ago. In every locality we can see at least half a dozen street dogs in the day and at night. At night they are the masters of the locality. After 11'O clock the locality comes under their rule. At times they seem harmless creatures. Suddenly if one of them is irritated with the sound of the two-wheeler he would start bark and run after the poor rider. The others would follow him as if they were waiting for such a chance. If the bike rider is lucky the dogs would leave him after a few distance. The barking and attacking from all sides would cause imbalance of the vehicle and accidents would occur. Ask any person going home after late night duty, particularly employees working in the newspapers. He would have scores of experiences to tell. This nuisance of the rogue dogs must be stopped for safe using of roads at night. Killing with food poison is the best to adopt. Don't tell Maneka Gandhi, will you?
Along with street dogs there are street animals roaming on the streets to the discomfiture of the traffic. The BMC officials used to take action against them by putting them in the Kanji House to curb the menace to some extent. This practice has been discontinued as if the Corporation officials have better things to do. The police are helpless in this nuisance faced by the road traffic.
Rajiv Nair

There is no place on earth where human beings have not made their habitat, which also implies for the man's best friend `dogs.'
Rogue street dogs pose danger to everyone as they start running after vehicles and the driver increases his speed to get rid of them. This can surely lead to an accident.
Besides the dogs are the carriers of malignant disease called `rabies' which makes them more dangerous for small children playing outside their house.
Few days ago I read in a newspaper that an IAS officer shot a dog dead with his gun, the reason being that he was irritated by the stray dogs barking all the day.
To avoid such incidents the Municipal Corporation should arrange a separate place to keep them, just like we have `kanji house' for keeping cows so that these animals can also enjoy their right of living.
Devashish Marskolay

The question posed reflects anthropocentric approach. Environmental ethicists and in particular distinguished persons like Peter Singer and Tom Regan explain us that moral standing must be extended beyond humanity- to the non-human beings as well.
Dogs have equal rights to live on this tiny earth as that of human beings. Rogue dogs pose danger to human beings. It is unethical and inhuman to eliminate them. On the other hand, it is definitely sheer foolishness on the part of human beings to allow them to thrive and endanger human beings.
One of the possible solutions to the problem which I would like to advocate is as follows: Stray dogs can be caught unharmed and shifted to safer zones which are earmarked exclusively for their habitation.
We- the human beings must try to learn to live on this earth holding a symbiosis relationship with our fellow species.
KAN Talpasai

Dogs are not liked by all the people. In a house, keeping of dogs may bring differences, thus giving rise to quarrels. At times, while coming to my shop in Gulmohar in car, I see dogs, in angry mood chasing me. I also try to speed the car as they could come under the wheels and die and any death of dog on the road is not a good sight. Hence the civic body should see to it that such dogs on roads are taken away to safer places, if there is no provision to eliminate them.
In foreign countries, dogs have collars. They are caught if found roaming on the roads. If their owners are not traced then such dogs are taken away to far off places, thus minimizing the nuisance of dogs on the roads. In our colony we see the dogs and ragpickers both searching for food/plastics from the dustbins.
We often hear of dogs going mad and biting any person who comes in their path. It may be due to the fact of hunger.
RS Rathor

The rogue stray dogs have put the life of morning walkers at risk. Whenever I am out I carry a strong stick. There have been many cases of dog bites which also proved fatal. But nothing concrete has been done to stem the menace. Shankar, a cycle repairer, was bit by a mad dog which ultimately led to his death. Then the dogs bit children at Sabzi farm, Shahpura leading to their deaths. In Ishwar Nagar too children were bitten by stray dogs.
In Andhra Pradesh, the hungry stray dogs  lifted a child from the hospital premises and ate it. Similarly in Meerut also, the stray dogs killed two children whose half eaten bodies were recovered later. There was also news of a 20-year-old man being attacked by ferocious dogs leading to his death.
What more proof do we want for eliminating rogue street dogs from our colonies?
Gyani Karan

Rogue dogs certainly pose problems, and the most likely targets of these dogs are two-wheeler riders and elderly those who move on the streets with their sticks in hand for morning walk. This is very often observed in the winter season while early in the morning visibility is poor and on account of the same dogs either attack directly or bark vigorously at the people and the poor person has hardly any escape under such circumstances.
Many old Hindi movies depict funny incidents of comedian or cunning characters being tortured by the dog that entertains public however this is really troublesome and serious for those who face such incidents for it is painful and expensive being victim of dog bite.
Sunil S Okhade

Yes, rogue street dogs should be eliminated because they pose danger to us while we go for a morning walk. We cannot move freely with our pets, they run behind our vehicles, that sometimes result in accident. They bite us, which sometimes results to death or diseases.
Generally, poor people are victims of these dogs, these people due to ignorance or in lack of proper knowledge/medical facilities lose their lives, as medicines of rabies are very expensive. Many people have cynophobia who cannot pass from those streets, where there is a dog.
Few days back, Municipal Corporation of a city was in news as the corporation was giving poison  to such dogs. But Maneka Gandhi with some other social activists came forward and brought orders from Court against the Municipal Corporation, so we cannot kill these dogs now.
Ms. Maneka Gandhi is feeling the pain of these dogs but not of human beings, we all know that these high profile persons have never encountered with such problems as we face.
As now we cannot kill these dogs so we can take some other steps. It is true that dog is very unique creature created by God, who is very loyal, very good learner. They became rogue in absence proper training or in unfavourable circumstances.
In India people are purchasing foreign breed dogs at a high price and ignoring country dogs completely. So firstly, people should be encouraged to have a country dog as their pet. Secondly, we can send these dogs to dense forest. Thirdly, these dogs should be given certain vaccines that will deactive their fertility. As their number is incresing rapidly day by day. Fourthly, these dogs should be trained properly and can be used at borders, this will help us to keep watch on infiltration.
Apart from these steps Municipal Corporation can take other steps also to solve this problem.
Kuar Pal

It has been a continuous effort of human beings to fight back the hazards created by nature to make his life comfortable and safe. Early man considered that natural environment was dominant  and adapted himself to the vagaries of nature. As time passed he learned to overcome the hazards of nature.
Rogue dogs always created danger to public and should be eliminated  due to various reasons. Roaming of rogue dogs  on main roads, streets etc invites accidents. In the night  foot walkers, two-wheelers face many difficulties  due to street dogs.   Govt should take immediate action to eliminate rogue dogs for the welfare  of the inhabitants. This case should not be taken as cruelty on animals. A scratch or accidental bite  from a rogue  dog, if neglected  will lead to incurable disease  rabies. Rabies is a disease transmissible through saliva from the dog or infected being  to human being causing madness  and convulsion  and ultimately  falls into painful death. Dogs are faithful animal  and also using trained dogs  by state police force  for collecting  clues for many criminal investigation. But due to many reasons  stray dogs are alarmingly increasing and pose danger to public. The growth of  dog is in geometrical progression. If the concerned authorities do not take the problem seriously, it may lead to cruelty to public. Pet dogs should be kept in kennels and should be vaccinated on time.
Louis Pasteur, a great French scientist , fought against Hydrophobia, symptom of rabies and invented anti- rabies vaccination which  was a great revolutionary  achievement  in the 18th century. During  the time of research, he told to his fellow contemporaries that "the  more I contemplate the mysteries  of nature the more faith  becomes like that of a peasant"
The environment is all that surrounds mankind and directly or indirectly influence  man. To make the environment friendly, man has to eradicate anti- enviroment  factors.
C Rajendran
 
It is true vagabond dogs or better to say stray dogs have become a great menace for us in cities. These dogs are regarded as portent of RABIES which is a fatal disease. As we know very well stray dogs are the most common carriers of Rabies in the human beings. So these stray dogs should be eliminated from the public places.
According to a survey, due to Rabies every year 19 million people are dying in the whole world in which majority is from India and other developing countries. Hence these rogue street dogs are extremely dangerous for the human life. Apart from this during mating time and in fights among them if any pedestrian or passer -by come there they often bite him, female dogs also bite when they are protecting their pups.
In this way thousands of dog bite cases are happening every year. These cases are also of serious nature & may cause deaths. Many two-wheeler accidents also occur due to these stray dogs. When these dogs start barking then it is difficult to sleep in night. These dogs create noise pollution.
Due to lack of civic sense in public in our country majority of people is of litter lout. In spite of providing litter bins by the Municipal corporation in most of the colonies of the cities people are in the habit of throwing garbage in the open instead of litter bins. Because of heaps of garbage in the open food is available to these stray dogs so they live in colonies.
There was a time when dogs were in every house of village. But now because of urbanization these village dogs have become stray dogs.
1For reducing the number of stray dogs we should not throw garbage in the open we should use litter bins.
2 Neutering of male dogs should be done & ovaries and uterus of female dogs should be done.
3 Vaccinate the dog against rabies 4 For stray dog Govt should construct house. Complete elimination of these animals is not possible. Number of dogs can be reduced. Dogs are scavengers so some should remain.
S Zia Ul Hasan Naqvi

`Hark! Hark! The dogs do bark. The beggars are coming to town..'thus we sung the Mother Goose rhyme at school. I remember back in 1953, while having morning run at New Colony, Nagpur , a street dog chased me, causing me to bruise my knees by stumbling down.
An elder man who was getting a haircut by the road side, rushed to rescue and escort me back home. Ever since I am scared of the street dogs.
Later in college I read about the school friends turning David Copperfield a dog by placing a placard on his back, reading: `Beware of him, he BITES!
Oliver Goldsmith wrote an elegy on the death of a mad dog:

This dog and man at first were friends
But when a pique began,
The dog to gain some private ends
Went mad, and bit the men...!
The wound, it seemed both sore and sad
To every Christian eye
And while they swore, the dog was mad
They swore the man would die/
But soon a wonder came to light
That showed the rogues they lied
The man recovered of the bite
The dog it was that died!!

Barking dogs seldom bite and all dogs are not ferocious. It is upon being provoked the dogs attack. That is why dog lovers chain them up and put warning on gate: Beware of dog!
Yet dog is the most faithful servant. Lord Dattatray and Bhairon Baba bless and protect dogs. Black dog is favourite of the latter. Even Dharmaraj Yudhishthir, during his ascension to heaven, pleaded successfully to allow him to take along his follower faithful dog. And now, even the slum dogs can become successful millionaires!
It is the duty of the Govt to protect people from mad stray dogs who spread disease and attack people. It is often risky when they howl and chase the passing vehicles. It is more dangerous for the two-wheeler lady pillion riders, whose apparel catch may stumble them down!
Non-violence being vital, I disagree for killing of stray dogs. They should rather be caught and transported or impounded to safe distance by the Govt or animal protection bodies. It is better to be defensive watch dog when faced with menace of a mad dog.
May God protect us and dogs!
Arun Sarje

God made dog after the dog kind. He made everything for a purpose. However mankind has not tried to learn the true utility and value of God's creations. Hence we see people keeping dogs in their homes in such a way that it becomes very ferocious and bites whoever comes inside the house. As a fear people put signboards on gates of their bungalows- beware of dog.
Every coin has two sides so also goes with a dog. They are very sweet, cute and lovely. Once you get addicted to them, then they become more than your family member; but I feel our creator never desired that human beings will get so much attached with dogs that they will allow them even in their beds.
Coming to the forum question; yes, the rogue dogs should be eliminated as the human beings are of more value than dogs. Why should we live in fear and our movement on roads be imperiled by street dogs. When even rogue human beings are not spared and put in prisons after trial, so should be the treatment with rogue street dogs. It is because we have not given enough thought to this question that today people and the municipal bodies have to be forced to act/ or will be forced to act. Everyday hospitals are reporting more and more dog bite cases. The poor who cannot afford the high cost of three injections (Rs 1,500) will go without them and finally become mad and die a dog's death. Most of the rogue dogs are to be found near slum areas. These become active during night hours and the most affected are the journalists who leave for their homes in dead of night.
In the rural areas the situation is worse. It is for this reason that the people of Berasia tehsil near Bhopal went to the police station to register FIRs against the rogue dogs.
Ravi

No, killing dogs is cruel, barbaric and ineffective. The plight of stray dogs is one of the most visible animal welfare issues in the world today.
Dogs are one of the most affected animals - of the estimated 500 million dogs in the world, approximately 75% are strays.
Life on the streets is hard. Stray dogs will fight over the limited amounts of food and that which can be scavenged. Injuries sustained this way are rarely treated.
Tumours, skin infections and open sores are common for stray dogs. Over three quarters of puppies in developing countries die in agony from diseases including rabies and distemper.
Stray dogs, frequently suffering from hunger and illness, seek food and shelter in human communities. They are often seen as a nuisance and health hazard by the people who live alongside them. With a lack of knowledge and resources, communities in developing countries frequently resort to randomly culling strays, by poisoning, electrocuting or shooting dogs.
These methods are inhumane, causing the animals great pain and suffering. They are also ineffective in the long term as they do not address the cause of the problem. The most effective and humane method to tackle this problem is mass sterilization of dogs. According to WHO, mass sterilization and vaccination of dogs is the most effective way to combat rabies.
The example of Nepal must serve as an eye-opener for those who favour killing of stray dogs. Every year in Nepal at least 200 people die from rabies after being bitten by dogs. The fear of rabies had led to the country turning against its stray dog population. In Kathmandu there are over 20,000 stray dogs. Until recently the local authority resorted to poisoning these animals, causing them to convulse in agony for many hours before dying.
Not only is this method cruel, random culling doesn't reduce the spread of rabies. Since mass vaccination and sterilization programme started, there has been a visible improvement in the health of Kathmandu 's stray dogs and the stray population has reduced.
The international and national animal welfare bodies have now reached over a quarter of the dog population in the Municipality and expanded their education work. This project has provided an effective alternative to poisoning of dogs and is helping to change the attitudes of both the public and the Government. What is most important is that the cases of dog bites and rabies have drastically come down. On the other hand the countries that resorted to cruel mass slaughter of dogs failed to effectively control rabies.
Sushmita Shrivastava

Since ancient times the dogs have been one of the pet animals. Dogs have always been loyal to mamnkind. In the end of Mahabharat, all Pandavas died but the King Yudhishithir was left alone with his dog while going to the Himalayas in the last journey to the heavens.
The dogs have been provided and gifted with an extraordinary sense of olfactory which enables them to smell anything which man cannot smell. Dogs can help the police in searching criminals by their wonderful faculty of smell. They can even search bombs and narcotics.
Dogs help man in hunting. They bring the animals and birds killed by the hunters. In Australia the dogs help their masters in taking care of their sheep. In the Tundra, in the Arctic region the sledges of the Eskimos are pulled and carried by the groups of dogs. The dogs even keep watch and protect the house of their masters from burglars.
Once there had been an earthquake in Quetta city of Pakistan in 1930. the life of a man was saved by his loyal dog who sensed the coming catastrophe before it actually happened. The dog started barking and pulled his master out of the house minutes before the quake struck and thus saved his master's life.
It is the first and the foremost responsibility of we people to protect and take care of dogs who are very helpful to man. They should be provided proper medicines and food. Like other animals, even dogs do contact diseases and fall sick.
Due to our negligence and carelessness, the population of dogs has been increasing in the cities and the stray dogs getting rogue. The rogue dogs can be controlled by sterilization, vasectomy and tubectomy. Some dogs suffer from rabies, a viral disease, which causes hydrophobia disease in man which is fatal if care and proper medical aid is not provided. Delay in case of dog bite may cause death, hence the doctors must be contacted in time. In such a case the patient is given 14 injections which cures him completely.
RK Gupta

Haphazard urban planning and human over population have led to a correspondingly huge population of rogue street dogs in most Indian cities. They cause the problems of Rabies a fatal disease which can be transmitted to humans. Although all warm-blooded animals can get and transmit rabies, dogs are the most common carrier. India has the highest number of human rabies deaths in the world. Dog bites occur most when dogs are trying to mate and fighting among themselves, "pedestrians and other humans in the vicinity often get bitten accidentally. Females with pups to protect may also be aggressive and bite people who approach their litter. Mass killing of dogs as a population control measure was started by the British in the 19th Century. It was continued on a large scale after Independence by the municipal authorities all over India , with the aim of eradicating human rabies deaths and the stray dog population. By 1993, it was admitted to be a complete failure, since human rabies deaths had actually increased and the dog population was also perceptibly growing. Maneka Gandhi, founder member of People for Animals Patron Worldwide WWF, and currently chairperson RUGMARK and DSPCA managing trustee Ruth Cowell Foundation animal care shelter and hospital shows special interest in writing welfare, environmental protection and study of law. She is the recipient of the prestigious Lord Erskins Award, Prani Mitra Award 1996 for Environmental work and published books like `Animal Law and has strong favour to protect animals specially rogue street dogs even though she knows that they pose danger, but she is strictly against their elimination. An incident in Bangalore shaken by the public outcry against the death of a young boy in an attack by a pack of stray dogs in BEML Layout, Gok Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) announced a raft of measures, including putting mad, ferocious and rabid dogs to sleep. All other stray dogs will be sterilized. An inquiry had been ordered into whether the non-governmental agencies responsible for the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme over years have succeeded in their task, but Gok was examining whether or not criminal cases could be filed against health officials of the Corporation, and NGOs such as Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA) that were given generous funding to control the dog population. Earlier, in separate press conferences, PWD Minister, BJP MLC `Mukhyamantri' Chandru attacked the BBMP for failing to protect children from "ferocious and mad dogs" in Bangalore. The Health Minister, explaining the legal hurdles that prevented the Gok from killing dogs, the Union Government to amend the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
Dr Visal A Khan

Beware of PETA, specially the Maneka Gandhi brigade! Yes rogue street dogs pose danger and should be eliminated, leave aside the ethical and animal rights activism. If rogue street dogs are allowed freely to roam about on the streets, lanes and every public place there is every possibility of their becoming potential carriers of not only many contagious diseases but also the most dangerous and fatal rabies disease which is not curable. They are a menace for noise pollution which is harmful for heart patients and other people who are allergic for barking. They are also carriers of zoonotic disease into human lives through their feacal and urinary excretions as well as the larva. Dogs are by nature averse to speeding objects before them.
We are all aware how dogs run after racing persons, mobikes, cars and other moving objects and how fatal it could be if your balance while on a two-wheeler or a four-wheeler or even running is lost. Such dogs may even bite you while you are racing which again is almost like inviting RABIES to die an ignominous death like the proverbial KUTTE KI MOUTH.. This kernel character is seen even in pet dogs if the owner fails to control the animal while on road and many a time these dogs jump over the human beings running, riding or driving.
Protecting the life and rights of a rogue street dog is just like claiming human rights by a terrorist or any other such criminal. If a person, group, society or the State feels that rogue street dogs should be protected as they also enjoy animal rights they can also be huddled into a gosadan type of dogs shelter till their natural death, by the local government or the State Govt, or even by the Central government so that valuable human lives are protected from the fatal bites of these rogue street dogs. Mind you, we are talking of rogue street dogs only.
Krishna Chander Mouli

We are not living in Sat Yug but in Kali Yug, according to Hindu mythology. Whereas, I, being a believer of the Kripa Yug (Age of Grace), personally give more credence/value to human life. That doesn't mean I hate other living creatures. These creatures too are very much necessary for human survival on planet earth. One must remember that the harmony between humans, nature and the other living organisms is totally disturbed. The main cause of this is the sin committed by humans. Why dogs, or for that matter other domestic or wild animals, behave this way, is a matter to be closely understood. The root cause of this is that the earth is under a curse and here we cannot expect a lion eating grass like a bull. Of course, all human beings, irrespective of any caste or religion discrimination, are anxiously awaiting a heavenly kingdom which, according to Hindu belief, is the Ram Rajya, where the lost harmony between man and beast will be restored. There, wild bear will play with a little boy and a child may put its hand in a viper's pit. I have been writing continuously about street dogs that pose danger to general public. Very recently, a letter too appeared in the CC about dog menace in some area where the two wheeler riders are attacked by street dogs at night. It is a fact. Not only two wheeler riders but at some places the dogs also chase the four wheeler riders as well. Why they behave so is a matter to be examined by animal lovers like the former NDA Minister Maneka Gandhi, whose passion for animals made her to bring in an Act that was passed in Parliament. Of course, she expressed her deep love towards animals  whereas, on ground,  the Pilibhit imbroglio and the brick bats between Mayawati and Maneka Gandhi over the Varun Gandhi saga throws much light on building up temperamental behaviour, whether in humans or in  animals, indispensably. The change must occur first in humans, and then animals start behaving  properly. For the change occurring in humans, the inner man must change first. For the inner man to change first, he should restore the lost relationship with his Master Creator. And that process is called 'repentance'  that is what  the followers of Jesus are, time and again, emphasizing/insisting upon. But, they are stamped as converters. Yes, doubtlessly, they are converters, not the converters of physical man but the spiritual being. That is the real evolution, the evolution of a  barbaric/carnival human to a sensible/spiritual being. Unless and until that change occurs, even animals will chase us, as the animals too know the plan and purpose of the divine creation. Nowhere in history we have seen such violent acts/behaviour  of animals/mammals against human beings as we see the humans have turned from bad to the worse where even beast like behaviour of grown ups, abusing little children and in many cases even fathers robbing the modesty of their  own daughters, are being reported in media. Isn't that turn to  a mind boggling aversion for all? The more man turns beastly, the beasts will continue chasing him more rudely/violently.  
RK Kutty

Work is worship?

The winners of the forum on: 
Do parties manifestoes depict the concerns of the electorates are:
First: OP Sharma
Second: AB Mehta
Third: Vis al A Khan.