Stray dog attacks trigger outrage, govt faces criticism for insufficient action

THE recent death of a child on April 6 due to a stray dog attack has sparked widespread public outrage and highlighted the growing concern over the State's stray dog population.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Vijayawada

Following the incident, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu ordered a review of the situation and demanded swift action. However, animal welfare activists and experts argue that the steps taken so far have been inadequate, with some claiming that the government's actions have stirred unnecessary panic.

Data from the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) reveals that 7,05,555 dog bite cases have been reported across the State since 2022. Despite this alarming number, there are major discrepancies between the figures provided by municipal officials and the findings of the 2019 Animal Enumeration, which recorded a total of 4.71 lakh stray dogs—significantly higher than the 3.43 lakh claimed by officials. This inconsistency has raised questions about the accuracy and reliability of the reported figures.