KOCHI: Frustrated with the stray dog menace in their neighbourhood, the residents of Chandrathil Road in Edappally are now asking the dogs themselves to stay away! A new ‘sign board’ reading “Stray Dogs Beware”, with plastic bottles of indigo-coloured water placed nearby, has appeared right under the Santhi Marg board.
The local residents’ mocking gesture has come as a last resort to attract the attention of the authorities who have allegedly long remained blind towards the issue. In the creative attempt, the residents’ welfare association, Swaraksha, has ‘warned’ stray dogs about the perils of coming close to the ‘traditional dog repellent’ — coloured-water bottles.
There have been several instances of stray dogs charging at people in the locality and even biting some. That includes a newspaper boy who was bitten during his early morning routine recently and two ladies’ hostel inmates who were chased by a pack of dogs. The women escaped from being bitten only because of the quick intervention of a resident there. The dogs also jump into residential compounds at night and create disturbance by running around and barking.
Residents said the authorities say they are helpless on the issue as the law states that stray dogs caught from a particular area should be sterilised and left free at the very spot.