GUNTUR: A four-year-old boy, Isaac, was fatally mauled by a stray dog in Swarna Bharathi Nagar, triggering public outrage, political blame game and renewed focus on the city’s stray dog menace.
In-charge Mayor Sheikh Sajila visited the grieving family and handed over Rs 5 lakh ex gratia on behalf of the government. Acting on the Chief Minister’s direction, she promised structured measures to prevent such tragedies.
Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) Commissioner deployed special teams to capture stray dogs and intensified sanitation drives, including the removal of illegal meat and fish stalls in the area. The incident sparked a heated debate at the GMC budget meeting.
Deputy Mayor Balavajrababu demanded a report on previous Animal Birth Control (ABC) operations, while TDP councillors criticised YSRCP’s failure to act over the last four years.
Help for Animals Society alleged that dogs had been relocated without sterilisation or vaccination, violating ABC norms and causing aggression. They cited a previous collaboration with Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) Task Force and GMC which was never fully implemented.
Further issues surfaced after the Animal Welfare Board of India revoked ABC project recognition from NGO Sneh Animal Welfare Society, whose facility was found unsuitable due to its location inside a dump yard.
The Board instructed GMC to either conduct operations with government vets or shift the centre.
In response, the GMC announced plans to set up a new ABC centre near its old filtration plant at Thakkellapadu at an estimated cost of Rs 47 lakh.