Tura, June 24: An awareness programme on responsible pet ownership and stray dog management was held today in Tura.

The Awareness camp was organised by the West Garo Hills District Administration in collaboration with the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Derpartment and Tura Municipal Board.

Speaking at the inaugural function Mary Lisa K. Marak, ADC, said that the large number of unowned dogs in urban areas not only posed a risk to public safety but scavenging for food by stray dogs from bins also litter urban spaces causing a nuisance and oftentimes damaging property.

She said that the issue can only be addressed through proper public awareness, responsible pet ownership and community involvement in addition to direct interventions adopted for the sterilisation and vaccination of stray dogs.

To this end she urged all stakeholders to work with empathy and compassion to deal with the issue of stray dog management.

Delivering the keynote address Amanda W. Momin, Sr. Medical Officer, TMB said that worldwide more than 8 million people are forced to undergo treatment for dog bites annually with more than half of the dog bite patients being children below the age of fifteen. Further underlining public health concerns she said that 30 percent of all rabies cases in the world were reported from India.

‘The surge of stray dogs continues in urban areas with figures as high as 17000 in our State alone’, she said.

She also informed the gathering that following a petition in the High Court, the State was directed to take appropriate measures to control the menace caused by stray dogs, capture them and treat them which include sterilising and rehabilitating them in dog shelters.

The State was also directed to form a committee composed of the commissioner or chief of local authority, representatives from public health, animal welfare department, district society for prevention of cruelty to animals, animal welfare organisations and representatives of the people who have experience in animal welfare in the localities.

The Committee for the management of stray dogs in Tura, West Garo Hills, was formed in June this year with the CEO, Tura Municipal Board as the ex officio chairman of the committee.

The day’s programme also consisted of a technical session and discussion on the topics of vaccination, spraying and healthcare of pets, control of rabies and public healthcare and management of dog menace and stray dogs.