Stray dog bites 8-year-old girl in public garden

Surat: Evening playtime in one of Surat’s busiest neighbourhoods turned traumatic on Saturday when an eight-year-old girl was seriously injured in a dog attack at a public garden on Ghod Dod Road, once again throwing the spotlight on the city’s stray dog issue.

The girl was playing in the garden with her mother when the incident occurred. According to preliminary information, her mother stepped out to buy ice-cream and returned with it in a plastic bag, which the child took from her.

Around the same time, three dogs in the garden approached them and tried to snatch the plastic bag. In the commotion, one dog attacked the girl and bit her on the thigh, causing a serious injury.

The child’s mother immediately rushed her for medical attention. She was taken to New Civil Hospital, where doctors treated the wound and administered an anti-rabies vaccine. The girl is currently undergoing treatment.

The incident triggered panic in the upscale Ghod Dod Road area, which sees hundreds of residents visiting public gardens daily, especially in the evenings. It has renewed concerns among residents over the presence of stray dogs in public spaces and the risks they pose, particularly to children.