With an average of 550 dog bite cases recorded each day in Punjab, it appears that the government is not worried about curbing the problem of lost dogs.
The Health Department’s statistics indicates that from January to September, 1.46 lakh dog bite incidents were registered in Punjab.
Examining the data on these cases painted a horrifying picture, as the state had recorded over seven lakh cases of dog bites during the previous five years. Since these examples do not include individuals who did not seek care at all or those who received treatment in private clinics and hospitals, the true number may be significantly higher.
A working committee headed by the Additional Chief Secretary (Health) at the time was established in 2019 to address the threat in the state. The group’s assignment was to develop a time-bound, result-oriented action plan with a deadline for controlling the number of stray dogs. However, because the number of cases continued rising, nothing appears to have been effective on the ground.
The number of dog bite cases in the state has increased by over 70% during the past five years. According to the most recent data, the state recorded 1.13 lakh instances in 2018, and this year’s numbers are probably closer to 1.90 lakh.
Experts claim that improper cooperation between three departments—Local Bodies, Rural Development and Panchayats, and Animal Husbandry—is the cause of the state’s rising dog bite case count. The third is meant to give the other two technological help, while the first two are in charge of managing the number of stray dogs. The 20th Livestock Census of 2019 shows that there are more than 2.90 lakh stray dogs in Punjab.