HYDERABAD: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has directed builders and developers to set up creches at construction sites to prevent children of workers from falling victims to dog bites, which have become a frequent occurrence at these places. The civic body is sending letters to builders to set up creches in compliance with the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017.
The GHMC officials said that to mitigate the severity of dog bites, a Rapid Response Team (RRT), headed by the GHMC veterinary officer in each circle, is being formed. It will follow standard operating procedures on receipt of information about a dog bite. The first one mandates that veterinary officers along with the dog catchers will have to rush immediately to the area from where the dog bite has been reported.
The veterinary officer must see the dog bite victim and advise him/her to clean the wound using a carbolic soap (such as Lifebuoy soap) under running water for at least 20 minutes and then ensure he or she is taken to the Fever Hospital at Nallakunta or any area hospital or any private clinic for taking rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) injection and first dose of anti-rabies vaccine.
The VO must keep a record of dog-bite incidents and ensure follow-up treatment is given to the victim post-bite, including anti-rabies vaccine on the 3rd, 7th and 14th days at Institute of Preventive Medicine at Narayanguda or at any area hospital or private clinic.
GHMC to take up survey of dogs
The dog-catching team must catch the dog which has bitten its victim immediately in order to prevent it from biting more children and shift it to the Animal Care Centre. It should be kept under observation for any signs of rabies in an isolation kennel for a minimum period of 10 days. These measures will be taken up in GHMC limits and in the 27 municipal corporations and municipalities within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) limits.
The civic body will also take up a survey of street dogs from July month-end. The population of street dogs last year was around 3.79 lakh. Also 100 percent ARV of all the street dogs will be taken up.
A state Animal Birth Control Monitoring and Implementation Committee meeting headed by MAUD principal secretary M Dana Kishore will be held at the state Secretariat on July 22.
The members along with the subject matter experts including veterinary doctors from the Veterinary University and Animal Husbandry department, representatives of animal welfare organisations and the Health department, advocates and other official and non official members will attend the meeting for discussing the measures to be taken to prevent dog bite incidents in future.
Steps will be taken to ensure proper food waste disposal by hotels, restaurants, function halls, meat shops, hostels and other establishments. They will be asked to collect their trade waste in a receptacle and dispose of it in a scientific manner.
Steps would be taken to promote adoption of street dogs to provide them safe homes and to bring down their population by sterilisation and vaccination. Pet dog registration has to be done for maintaining the database of the pets so that the sterilisation and vaccination reminders are sent to them. They would also get advisories from the AWBI. The Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVPs) in the city will be eliminated to avoid gathering of street dogs.
Toll-free number
For complaints of dog menace, citizens can call toll-free number
040-21111111 (helpline) and 040-23225397 (contact support)