BENGALURU: Dog bite cases in BBMP limits have increased by 5,526 cases, compared to last year. According to the BBMP, 23,236 dog bite cases were reported in the year 2022-2023, while 17,610 dog bite cases were reported in 2021-2022.
The reasons for the increase in the number of dog bite cases are provocation and aggression — territorial, maternal, sexual and food — said veterinarians from BBMP’s Animal Husbandry wing.
“People are not aware of these factors and end up getting bitten. For example, a stranger who enters a colony or housing quarters that has a few stray dogs will be barked at. On catching sight of him, they may sometimes even bite, if the person tries to shoo them away. Similarly, females are aggressive when they are littered. Those going near the puppies may be attacked. BBMP is creating awareness among children and the public on all these factors,” said a senior official from the animal husbandry wing.
He added that many stakeholders were involved in the stray dog census conducted in July. An area-wise plan is now being prepared to intensify the awareness drive among the public.
“Many residents ask BBMP officials to relocate stray dogs in case of dog bites but are not aware of the law that stray dogs cannot be relocated. Citizens will be educated about the rules and reasons behind dog bites, to ensure coexistence,” the official said.
Parents are also being told about the importance of checking on scar and bite marks on their children, and are advised not to ignore them. They must get them examined, and if confirmed to be dog bite, anti-rabies vaccination should be immediately administered to prevent rabies infection.