SHILLONG: With hardly any pro-active steps on the part of the Shillong Municipal Board to control the dog population, there are varied difficulties the city residents face during this winter .
Besides consistent wailing of dogs in the ongoing wintry conditions at night which disturb the sleep of the city residents especially the old and children, the rise in number of stray dogs and their intermittent fights on the road often create fear in the minds of the passers-by.
Moreover, in some areas, dogs and the puppies also take shelter underneath the Assam type wooden houses causing inconveniences to the residents.
When contacted, an official with the Municipal affairs has expressed the inability to control the dog population as there is only one dog catcher with the department.
The official also admitted that no pro-active steps have been taken to address the issue.
As the night develops and with it the dipping mercury chill, the wailing of the street dogs echo in the stretch from Last Stop area of Laban till General’s Point and pierces the ears and have the tendency to rob sleep for the rest of the night. It is indeed a pitiable sight when humans are shielding themselves under the warmth of a quilt, electric quilt and the rest of it these poor creatures are left to spend the night on streets in unbearable cold. With no kennels for them in place by the civic authorities as seen in other cities of the country, they are just living under the mercy of shop sheds, open verandah of private residences, on haystacks, underneath the wooden structure of Assam type cottages and other such open places.
In fact their presence beneath the wooden structure of Assam type cottages increases during winter months because the earth and the wooden frame overhead gives them the warmth they are hunting for. The Lumkartik Lane in Laban, Rilbong and New Colony in Laitumkhrah are some areas where dog populace beneath planks has gone up now. But with most of these structures are being replaced by concrete ones the dogs are losing these winter habitats.
Pedestrians who are annoyed over the disturbance caused by the street dongs said that they have a penchant to bite more in winters than in any other season.
Assam type cottage owners, who have to deal with dog menace at this time, informed that “mating and conceiving also gets a fillip during this time of the year.” The new ones are seen playing in safe quartets, that is, the bunker under Assam type cottages.
The rise in the number of stray dogs in every nook and corner of the city can be ascertained from their brawls every night and early morning. People from various parts of the city complained that when all turns silent at night these pooches start barking.
The Raid Laban area and Upper Lumparing is another den of stray dogs.
Those who are fed-up by the wailing of these dogs said that they feel like eliminating them, but realizes that these animals too have a place under the sun.
Rynjah is no good either where the residents have a harrowing time since these dogs – which are living beneath stone slabs over furrows in the frontal of private residences – chases pedestrians thinking their den is under attack. Many people have narrow escapes recently while encountering them. The municipality has indeed a task in hand.
