Civic body scraps dog shelter plan

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Civic-body-scraps-dog-shelter-plan/articleshow/17136789.cms

PUNE: The civic standing committee on Tuesday scrapped the proposal to build a shelter for stray dogs in the city. The committee had approved the proposal last week despite the civic administration's opposition. 

Committee chairman Baburao Chandere told reporters on Tuesday, "We reconsidered the proposal and decided that building a dog shelter is unfeasible and against the law." 

The proposal to build a dog shelter to accommodate over 40,000 dogs was tabled by NCP corporators Kishor Vitkar and Sunil Gogale. Last week the standing committee had asked the administration to make a feasibility report for the project. Opposing the proposal, the administration said that maintenance each dog would require Rs 18,000- 25,000 every year. The administration also said that, as per the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act, 1960, keeping stray dogs together is banned. 

"We had approved the proposal, considering the feelings of corporators. However, we came to the conclusion that the administration was correct," Chandere said. 

On an average, 1,150 dog-bite cases per month were registered since January 2012. In 2011, around 1,000 cases were reported each month. 

"Dog shelter is not an option to reduce dog-bite cases. Instead we have asked the health department to enhance the process the sterilize dogs," Chandere said.

1,150 dog-bite cases in city every month

PUNE: The stray dogs' menace in the city and dog-bite cases continue unabated in the city. On an average 1,150 dog-bite cases per month were registered in the city since January 2012. Last year, an average of 1,000 cases were reported each month.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials attributed them to several reasons. "Dog-bite cases go up during the mating season i.e. the monsoon. Easy availability of food from flourishing street food joints and restaurants is another reason," said Anjali Sabane, medical officer in the health department of the PMC.

"However, there has not been a single case of rabies reported since the beginning of the year," said Sabane. Sterlisation of stray dogs was more successful this year as the number of institutions roped in has increased. Three NGOs are working for sterlisation and vaccination of stray dogs when compared to only one last year.

"On an average 70 to 75 sterlisations take place every day. After sterlisation, the dogs are kept under observation in the dog pound for three days and then let out. More sterlisation is happening as the work load on the lone NGO has reduced," said Sabane.

Last year, around 9,000 dogs were vaccinated and sterilized. This year, 5,550 dogs have been sterlised and vaccinated by June-end. There are about 40,500 stray dogs in the city.

The sterilization efforts have reduced rabies over the years from 56 cases in 1997 to seven in 2000, three in 2005 and just one in 2009-2010. No rabies case has been recorded in 2011-12 so far.

Treatment is available at 14 civic-run hospitals and three out-patient departments of the PMC which reduced rabies cases in the city. Many people ignore dog bites and seek medical help only when full infection sets in. Experts stressed the need for health educational programmes for the medical community and for the public about the dangers of inadequately managed dog bites. The importance of proper wound care and post-exposure vaccination must be reinforced to prevent total rabies infection, they said.

The period from infection to the onset of symptoms is the rabies incubation period. It may vary from a few days to several years, but is typically between one and three months. During this time, the rabies virus multiplies within the body.

If the bite is not on the face, it takes usually two to six months for a person to develop the symptoms. The early symptoms are fever, headache, general tiredness and pain at the site of the bite. As the disease progresses, neurological symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety, confusion, hyper salivation, difficulty in swallowing and hydrophobia set in.

Ignorance does much damage and patients downplay the severe consequences of a stray dog's bite. Youngsters also ignore dog bites and hide it from parents. Some start treatment soon after the bite, but do not complete the full five-course vaccine.

"A single injection costs Rs 300 and the full course costs Rs 1,500. This course is given free at PMC-run hospitals. But it is costly in private hospitals and hence most people abandon it midway," a doctor at Naidu Hospital said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/1150-dog-bite-cases-in-city-every-month/articleshow/15155361.cms

SMSs to alert Pune Municipal Corporation about tree felling, garbage, injured animals

PUNE: The next time you spot illegal tree felling or an injured bird, reptile, a wild animal in distress or uncleared garbage, simply send an SMS to the civic authorities.

An alert system has been started on an experimental basis by the Pune Municipal Corporation's (PMC) garden department for citizens to tell authorities and ensure corrective steps.

If the SMS is related to a reptile, bird or wild animal, information provided by the citizens will be forwarded to the Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre of the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park for action. The garden department will forward the message to its staff for trees, and for uncleared garbage, the ward office staff will be told.

Additional municipal commissioner Naresh Zurmure told TOI that the SMS alert system has already started. "Contact numbers are being painted on the garbage containers. Citizens can send SMSs to the waste management staff by forwarding the container number and location where the garbage has not been cleared. At present, of the 14,000 containers, 600 have been numbered. We have also received feedback from the Bombay high court about this SMS alert system,'' he said.

The idea is to involve citizens to help the civic body spot and stop illegal tree felling, help injured animals and keep the city clean, he added.
Educational officer Ashwini Shitole said, "The SMS alert system is already functional and we are taking action against complaints. Most pertain to illegal tree felling, dangerous trees, injured birds and snakes. Our staff has been trained to attend to them."

The SMSs sent by citizens will reach the authorities, the complaint will be registered and the complainant will get an acknowledgement and complaint number through SMS.

One can send the SMS 'ALERT T' for tree, 'ALERT S' for snake, 'ALERT C' for garbage, 'ALERT F' for felling tree, 'ALERT D' for dangerous tree. The sender has to give his/her address, name and nature of complaint. The website access is via 'www.pmcalert.org' and sms alert can be sent to 9223050607. BOX

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-06-02/flora-fauna/31983368_1_illegal-tree-alert-system-garden-department