Stray Dogs are Behind the Killing of Livestock in Manipur :Th. Shyamkumar

Guwahati: In a move to tame the stray dogs in Manipur, State Forest and Environment Minister, Th. Shyamkumar will soon issue a directive to urban local bodies for serving a public notice to round up all the stray dogs including pet dogs without collars

Th. Shyamkumar Thursday confirmed that stray dogs are behind series of killing of livestock in Manipur since October, creating panic amongst the public. Addressing media persons at his office chamber, the Minister said, “team from Wildlife Institute of India (WII), who has been conducting the probe on the string of attacks on livestock have collected enough evidence to conclude that the attacks were carried out by stray dogs.”

Video footage and camera traps set up by the WII team revealed that dogs were responsible for the attacks, he added.

The Minister informed that a directive will be issued to urban local bodies to serve a public notice to round up all the stray dogs including pet dogs without collars. He appealed to dog owners to collar their pet and keep them indoors in order to avoid any misunderstanding while carrying out the exercise.

“We will take all possible measures to control this menace. These dogs prowling in the streets and villages could turn to man if they get infected with rabies”, he asserted.

Shyamkumar also informed that the expert team from WII arrived in Imphal a day after a pregnant woman in Imphal East district was allegedly attacked by a wild animal. Sample collected during an initial investigation from the area where the attacks were reported already points at canine family, he said, adding similar case has occurred in Kerala, Orissa. In addition to this, stray dogs have the instinct of attacking animals during their lactating period.

The expert cited poor and unhygienic husbandry practice and open garbage as possible reasons for the attacks. According to the latest report of the forest department, 162 livestock have been killed in 42 incidents since October 27. The first mass killing of fowls was reported in Chiengkawnpang village of Churachandpur district and later spread across the state including Imphal areas. In retaliation to the attacks on livestock, four animals have been killed including Mongoose, Fruit Bat, Chinese Ferret badger and a Leopard cat.

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