Animal care centre to be inaugurated in Mancherial soon

Officials said sterilization of dogs was essential to control the dog population of the animal.

Mancherial: Mancherial municipal officials have chalked out an action plan to tackle the menace of street dogs and monkeys, as part of which an exclusive animal care centre meant for performing sterilization to dogs and monkeys is being constructed on the outskirts of Mancherial. The centre, being set up at a cost of Rs.35 lakh, will be inaugurated soon.

Officials said sterilization of dogs was essential to control the dog population of the animal.

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Municipal Commissioner (in-charge) Raju said the works were nearing completion, after which the building would be handed over to the veterinary department. An approach road was being laid, while a grill fence was being installed around a shed meant for sheltering the dogs, he said.
According to officials, a dedicated veterinary doctor would be deployed at the centre to provide treatment and conduct birth-control operations to the dogs. The facility was equipped with an operation theatre, dressing and staff rooms and a drug store as well.

Meanwhile, arrangements were being made to carry out anti-rabies vaccination to dogs in the town soon. The vaccination drive will commence in a week or two. Tagging will be done to identify sterilized and vaccinated dogs, after which they would be released in localities from where they were picked up.
Around 10,000 dogs were estimated to be present in the seven municipalities of Mancherial, Bellampalli, Mandamarri, Ramakrishnapur, Luxettipet, Naspur and Chennur. Steps were being taken to prevent the street dog menace in the remaining six civic bodies as well.

On February 28, fifteen persons belonging to different parts of Mandamarri town sustained injuries when street dogs attacked them in less than 24 hours, triggering panic among the locals. Sporadic incidents of similar attacks were reported in the six municipalities too.

Municipalities: 7

Population of dogs: 10,000

Persons injured due to dog bites in 2022: 4,661

Dog bites reported till February 2023: 397