Kochi: The Kochi Corporation has decided to install 30 additional cages at Brahmapuram to shelter stray dogs that have turned violent temporarily.

The move is part of the civic body’s efforts to address the growing menace posed by these animals in the city. The cages will be used to house the dogs after they are spayed.

Mayor M Anil Kumar emphasised that the stray dog problem has now become a national concern. “Members of Parliament should raise this issue and push for legislation to control violent stray dogs,” he said.

The Corporation, meanwhile, will write to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden, urging them to raise the issue during the meetings of MPs. To aid in capturing aggressive animals, the dog-catching teams will be provided with an additional vehicle.

UDF councillor Henry Augustine called for immediate action to capture and place violent stray dogs in shelters. Councillor Anony Painuthara pointed out that the problem was not limited to strays, as house-reared dogs in several areas had also become troublemakers, and called for regulation in this direction.

According to TK Ashraf, chairman of the Corporation's Health Standing Committee, there are roughly 12,000 stray dogs within the Corporation's limits, of which around 8,000 have already been sterilised. Although the total number of strays may be slightly higher, the frequency of attacks within the city is relatively low, he added.