Recent reports that 27 people have died in the last two years due to rabies with 16 deaths reported in 2024 alone is frightening. The problem is a complete lack of responsibility of people who rear non-pedigreed dogs. These dogs mate at any time and produce at least 5-6 litter which are then left to fend for themselves as the dog owners dispose of the pups at distant places where they can’t trace their way back. It is not just the areas within Shillong Municipality that are vulnerable to bites by stray dogs. Large parts of this city which are beyond the ambit of the Municipality also suffer similar grievances. This is more so with morning walkers who are suddenly attacked by a pack of strays. It is pointless talking of personal responsibility to a citizenry that is not used to the rule of law. Meghalaya does not have a law on how to deal with stray dogs. Add to that the bleeding-heart animal lovers who believe that anyone asking for action against stray dogs are inhuman. Sadly, these dog lovers themselves are unable to deal with the increased number of strays unless they make that a full time job, which they cannot unless they come from affluent families where parents indulge their children’s passions.
The sad part of this whole saga is that people are actually dying of rabies. The State Surveillance Officer of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), had recently stated that 96 per cent of the rabies cases in Meghalaya have been attributed to dog bites. It is common knowledge that in villages most families rely on traditional healing methods against dog bites. This is due to complete lack of awareness about rabies and how it quickly enters the bloodstream after the dog bite and that anti-rabies injections are compulsory to ensure that the dog bite victim does not succumb to rabies. That a nurse from West Khasi Hills would herself die of rabies after being bitten by a stray dog tells us the extent of the problem.
There is a need for a comprehensive policy on keeping dogs as pets. As of today, it’s free for all. Owners keep female dogs that give birth to pups multiple times in their lifetime. Only those with pedigreed pets take them to the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department for neutering so that they don’t give birth more than once. In any case these pedigreed dogs are only allowed to mate with others of their ilk. The problem is with strays reared by people as guard dogs. Such people will not take the trouble to get the female dogs neutered since it takes too much time and effort which they cannot afford. It is important for the Health Department to take an urgent call on this and work in tandem with the Municipal Boards, and the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department.
