The threat of medicines bought for the ABC (Animal Birth Control)
programme for dogs getting outdated is pushing the City Corporation to
run the programme in full swing at the earliest. The council decision in
January this year to give the medicines as loan for the District
Veterinary Centre did not yield any result. The absence of a veterinary
surgeon has hit the ABC programme badly.

Earlier this month, the
only surgeon was transferred. “After holding talks with the Health
Minister, it has been assured that the vacancies for the vets will be
filled by November 1, and then on, the programme will be carried out in
full swing,” said Corporation health standing committee chairperson S
Pushpalatha.

The medicines bought for the 2011-12 year remain to
be used. A health official said that the medicines bought for surgical
purposes have been used and the other medicines are still available.

“The
medicines in stock have expiry date till 2014 and 2015. Within that
period, we hope that they all can be fully utilised and their use will
not go beyond the expiry date,” said the official.   To catch the dogs,
the Corporation is also planning to buy a new vehicle. And in the
council meeting held recently, it decided to buy a mini truck for Rs
3.80 lakh and set up a cage within an expenditure of Rs 5 lakh.

At
present, the only autorickshaw with the dog squad undergoes repair
often. Hence, only vaccination is given to the dogs. As the number of
garbage mountains is increasing in the city, the residents at the
receiving end are left to suffer the attack of dogs.

When
complaints mounted, the dog squad caught dogs from the areas where the
attacks were maximum, but the efforts could not be carried forward owing
to the lack of adequate facilities.