Stray dog bites up to muscle of Madhavaram woman; residents fume

CHENNAI: As there seems to be no end to the stray dog menace in the city, a 48-year-old woman in Madhavaram fell victim to the latest stray attack in Palaniappa Nagar on Saturday.

Members of the Palaniappa Nagar Civic Association have been demanding a solution to the havoc wreaked by stray dogs for a very long time.

Naomi Dias, a localite, was standing near her house and going on about her day when a canine nearby took a swing at her and bit her badly. Passersby and neighbours rescued the woman by pelting stones at the stray dog. The incident earned the wrath of the public, who were already living in fear of the large number of stray dogs in the locality, especially as the area houses many schools.

“Naomi was initially taken to Stanley Medical College. Initially, only TT injection was administered. A doctor reached slightly late and termed the bite as severe and exposing muscle,” said Nigel Dias, Naomi’s husband.

“Subsequently, Naomi was rushed to a private hospital for better treatment and provided anti-rabies vaccine,” added Nigel.

“Following complaints, the corporation caught the stray dog. But our complaint, seeking action against stray dogs, falls on deaf ears. Every other kid in the area is vulnerable to stray dog attacks, and the corporation continues to be a sleeping giant,” said Arul Dhas, joint secretary of the residents’ association.

“The residents feeding the dogs should be held responsible. The civic body fails to curb the population of stray dogs,” said a resident who witnessed the incident.

A Stanley Medical College official denied the claims that there was a delay in treatment. Doctors are always available in the emergency ward, the doctor said.