Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 16 : The Uttar Pradesh government has taken a significant step to address the growing concern of stray dog bites by introducing new guidelines for managing aggressive stray dogs.
According to Dr Vijay Amritraj, Veterinary & Animal Welfare Officer with Prayagraj Municipal Corporation, the rules dictate that if a dog bites a human without provocation, it'll be kept in an animal centre for 10 days.
Dogs biting humans without provocation will be observed for 10 days, sterilised if not already done, microchipped, and then released back to their original location.
Dogs biting humans a second time without provocation will face lifelong confinement in an animal center unless adopted.
Adopters must sign an affidavit promising lifelong care and not releasing the dog back onto streets.
"On 10th September, the Uttar Pradesh Administration passed an order that if any dog that has bitten a human without provocation, then it will be kept in an animal centre for 10 days. If the dog is sterilised, it will be released back at its original place with microchipping. If the dog bites a human for the second time, then this dog will be kept in the animal centre for the remainder of its life. If any person wants to adopt such a dog, then they will have to keep it for its life term," Dr Vijay Amritraj told ANI.
A three-member committee determines if bites were provoked or unprovoked, comprising a veterinary doctor, an animal behaviour expert, and a municipal representative.
"There will be a panel of three people which will include municipal corporation officials, police officers and people from the SET. They will also investigate whether the dog is biting others by becoming aggressive on its own, or if it is being provoked in any way so that it attacks people. In such a situation, if someone is repeatedly provoking the dog, then action will be taken against them as well, and the dog will be trained with the help of a dog trainer so that it can keep itself calm in such a situation in future," he said.
The order, issued by Principal Secretary Amrit Abhijat on September 10, aims to curb rising dog bite incidents and follows recent Supreme Court directives on stray dog management.