TIRUCHY: The city corporation recently announced establishment of six more Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres in the city to tackle the stray dog menace. However, the measure may not yield results as several meat shops are disposing off waste in a careless manner, leading to an increase in stray dog menace as the dogs feed on meat waste.
Following this, the corporation has been urged to redirect its focus towards the source of food for strays. Residents told TNIE that many meat stalls are disposing off the waste at the interior areas in Woraiyur, Puthur, Gandhi Market and several others locations, attracting pack of strays.
This happens especially at night, they said. In most instances, stray dogs can be observed congregating in front of these stalls, eagerly awaiting the arrival of workers who routinely feed them. "If we crossed the area while the strays are feeding on meat waste, the dogs would attack us.
I faced such a situation earlier this month while passing through Woraiyur Road when a meat stall worker was feeding the dogs," said Karthi Duraisamy, a resident. Echoing similar sentiments, Raja, a resident and a vendor, said, "We are not against feeding dogs or other animals. But the meat shops are doing it in such a way that we cannot commute through the street at night."
Recently, TNIE found a meat stall worker was feeding waste to strays in Puthur a few metres away from K Abhishekapuram zonal office of the corporation. When questioned, the worker said, "I am not the only one feeding the strays.
Many shops in the city are doing it." In response, senior corporation officials said that the civic body has been collecting waste from meat shops free of cost and they aren't meant to dispose off meat waste in such a manner. "We will conduct an inquiry and take action against such shops," an official said.