Anti-rabies drive: 4K stray dogs to be vaccinated in Vellore

VELLORE: The Vellore Corporation is planning to vaccinate 4,000 stray dogs against rabies in an effort to ensure total eradication of rabies in the town, according to Commissioner S Ashok Kumar.

Conveying this to DT Next, he said, “We enumerated a total of 15,000 stray dogs in Vellore town, of which 11,000 were provided animal birth control (ABC) treatment, which includes vaccination against rabies. The Corporation’s veterinary unit near the Muthu Mandapam on the Palar’s banks, which was not used for some time due to the pandemic, is now being readied to carry out the exercise to be undertaken by a non-governmental organisation registered with the SPCA (Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).”

With the Corporation council sanctioning Rs 33 lakh to provide ABC for 2,000 dogs at the rate of Rs 1,650 per animal, with three days care, including the anti-rabies vaccine, work on catching strays “is expected to start shortly,” Ashok Kumar added.

Meanwhile, joint director of animal husbandry department, Vellore Navaneetha Krishnan informed reporters that on international anti-rabies day (Wednesday) it has been decided to provide anti-rabies vaccine for a total of 6,000 animals, including household pets in Vellore, Ranipet and Tirupattur districts.

“Vaccination will be provided at all vet dispensaries and hospitals in the three districts,” Dr Navaneetha Krishnan said.

Dr Ravi Shankar attached to the government vet hospital at Makhan in Vellore told this newspaper that while the hospital saw around 100-150 dog bite cases per month rabies cases were very rare. “At the most we might get around 1 or 2 cases a month and that too not on all months,” he said. With the hospital already vaccinating around 50 dogs by 11.30 am on Wednesday, he said, “We will easily be able to vaccinate 200 dogs by the evening.”