AHMEDABAD: Gujarat had among the highest number of dog bites recorded in the country last year, pointing to a persistent issue faced by citizens and the civic body.
With 1.69 lakh dog bites, or an average of 19 an hour, the state stood fifth in India, according to data tabled in Lok Sabha recently.
Leading the table is Maharashtra with the highest number of dog bites - 45 per hour, followed by Tamil Nadu at 42. Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh each recorded 22 dog bites an hour while Karnataka shared Gujarat's figure of 19.
The only relief for Gujarat is that incidences, according to the data, have shown a downward trend from 4.31 lakh in 2020, to 1.92 lakh in 2021 and 1.69 lakh in 2022.
MPs Vinod Kumar Sonkar, Bhola Singh and others raised the question regarding dog bite incidences in Lok Sabha to which Satya Pal Singh Baghel, MoS (health & family welfare) presented the answer.
However, experts associated with animal rescue in the city say dog bites rose in 2022 from the previous year.
They said that Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's (AMC) official figures indicate over 58,000 dog bite cases in 2022, about 7,500 higher than 51,000 in 2021.
The trend indicated a spike in cases between November and February, a period when dogs produce litter and get protective of their offspring.
The experts also made a case for creating more awareness about rabies vaccine, besides suggesting a census of stray dogs and stringent implementation of population control measures to reduce conflict and eventual dog bites.
Apart from Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot are the other major cities that are working to find a solution to curb stray dog menace.
Parth Shastri is senior correspondent at The Times of India, Ahme...
Read MoreParth Shastri is senior correspondent at The Times of India, Ahmedabad. He reports on crime as well as issues related to traffic in the city, forensic investigation, archaeology and emergency medical services.
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