Kottayam: Stray dogs are entering homes, with a recent incident in which an elderly woman and a three-year-old girl were attacked. The attacks took place on Saturday evening across three houses belonging to the Kottakkal family, near Parippu Ambalakkadavu.

Narayani (92), who was sitting on a cot, was bitten on her leg by a dog. Her son, Mohanan, recounted that when he rushed to the scene, he found Narayani lying on the floor, covered in blood. Narayani's three-year-old granddaughter, daughter of her grandson Ratheesh, who was playing in a nearby house, was also attacked. Both victims were taken to the Medical College Hospital and given anti-rabies vaccinations.

The first attack occurred at the home of Narayani's eldest son, Mohanan, where a dog lunged at his granddaughter. Fortunately, the child managed to escape. Ratheesh’s daughter was bitten after that. Locals also reported that dogs have been attacking livestock in the area. A few days ago, two goats were attacked, with one being killed.

Stray dog menace: Numbers show no decline
Despite ongoing efforts to catch and sterilise dogs from various parts of the Kottayam Municipality, their numbers show no reduction. It is estimated that over 1,000 dogs roam within the municipal limits. The KSRTC stand, railway station, Collectorate compound, Kodimatha Market, Old Market, school premises, fish and meat centres, Thekkumgopuram, Kacherikkadavu, and Kodimatha boat jetty are all known hotspots for these dogs. Officials from the Animal Husbandry Department stated that the dogs developed a taste for blood and raw meat from discarded meat waste.

Hotspots
Kottayam - Medical College Bypass Road: Groups of stray dogs are commonly found along the roadside. The menace is particularly severe in areas like Chungam, Varisheri, Thiruvaatta and Kudayampady.

ML Road: Dogs are constantly present, day and night, on the road near the Passport Office.
MG Road: Numerous dogs are found along the sides of the Kodimatha - Chandakkadavu MG Road and in areas where waste is dumped.
Kodimatha Veterinary Hospital: A pack of dogs is present near the veterinary hospital and on West Police Station Road. Locals report that these dogs often pounce on unfamiliar people passing through the area.

Collector to Convene Meeting
Collector Chethan Kumar Meena announced that a meeting of local body representatives and officials would be convened soon to address the stray dog menace. The Collector made this announcement at the District Development Committee meeting, following concerns raised by public representatives about the increasing stray dog problem in various parts of the district, including the Medical College.

Participants in the meeting highlighted that the rising amount of food waste discarded by visitors at the Medical College was contributing significantly to the dog menace. To tackle the issue, possibilities, including a community kitchen (for controlled feeding and waste management) would be explored.