Stray dogs unleash terror on black bucks in Fatehabad

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Fatehabad, February 12

Three months after the start of a Central Government project to sterilise stray dogs in the district, black bucks living in Baropal and surrounding villages of Fatehabad continue to fall prey to canine bites.

Animal rights activists allege that the functionaries of the Humane Society International (HIS), who have been carrying a campaign to sterilise stray dogs, have been concentrating on those living in towns and villages alone.

Hundreds of black bucks live in villages like Badopal, Kharakheri, Kajalheri, Bighar, Jhalnia, Dhangar, Bighar and Salemkhera, which is inhabited mainly by the members of the Bishnoi community, who are their protectors.

Animal lovers from the Bishnoi community alleged that no efforts were being made to sterilise dogs living in the habitats of black bucks.

“Stray dogs attack black bucks, sometimes killing the poor animals,” said Vinod Karwasara, president of the district unit of the People for Animals and a member of the Akhil Bhartiya Bishnoi Jeev Raksha Samiti.

Karwasara said they had approached functionaries of the HIS several times, but in vain.

However, Shrikant Verma, project coordinator of the HSI, said the organisation had so far been catching only friendly dogs for sterilisation. “Dogs living in habitats of black bucks are ferocious and need special techniques to catch them. We are trying to get traps to catch them,” he added.