India's southern state of Kerala has decided to go ahead with the controversial decision to cull stray dogs. This comes in the wake of a growing threat of violent canines attacking people in packs.
Just this week, a 65-year-old woman was bitten to death by a pack of more than 100 dogs. According to witnesses, she was partially eaten by the hungry canines. Her son who was accompanying her had to jump into the sea to save his life. In another incident, a four-year-old boy was mauled by a group of street dogs. When his mother attempted to rescue him, the pack attacked her as well. Both mother and son are said to be in critical condition.
65-yr-old woman dies in Kerala after being attacked by a pack of reportedly 50(?) dogs. Where are those animal rights activists now?
— Cherian Tinu Abraham (@tinucherian) 21 августа 2016 г.
Such incidents have become routine in Kerala, a state with a population of 34 million. It is estimated that the state has more than 250,000 street dogs whose exponential growth is being seen in recent years due to the availability of marine waste and apathy of the local administration in the disposal of the city’s garbage. More than 127,000 people were attacked by packs of stray dogs in Kerala in the last year, according to official statistics.
A meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan decided that there will be a culling of violent dogs by injecting 'special medicine' into them. People in Kerala have largely supported the government’s move.
However, it has also attracted severe criticism from dog lovers and animal rights activists.
Go for birth control, sterilization drives.Kerala can follow and learn a lot from Jaipur over control on stray Dogs #SaveKeralaFromStrayDogs
— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) 22 августа 2016 г.
