kid needs plastic surgery for stray dog bite in Ahmedabad

"Nobody believes that the wounds are from a dog bite," says Mehboob Mansuri, whose 5-year-old son got bitten by a stray dog on Saturday night. "My son Ayaan will need to undergo plastic surgery as the dog had sunk his teeth into his neck." He is one of the 10 victims of dog bite in New Faisalnagar society in Behrampura Ward, added Mansuri who is a rickshaw driver.

Ayaan was immediately rushed to the VS Hospital. The doctors on the duty have given anti-rabies injection and medicines to the victims including Ayaan. However, the doctor said that Ayaan will need to undergo plastic surgery as his wounds are very deep, said Mansuri.

The stray dog menace has gone out of hand because of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's (AMC) apathetic approach towards the issue. The civic body has failed to formulate any single policy for dog sterilisation and this has caused more people to fall prey to dog bite in the city.

As per an estimate, nearly 3,000 cases of dog bites are registered in the city every month. As per the information provided by AMC, 18,200 dog bite cases were registered between January and May 2011, which was higher by 4,000 cases over the same period last year.

Badruddin Shaikh, leader of opposition in AMC, said the civic body has failed to take necessary steps for dog sterilisation. Number of stray dogs has crossed the 3 lakh mark. "Moreover, dogs caught from other areas of the city are released in Behrampura, which is why there is high prevalence of dog bite victims in the area as compared to city's other areas," said Shaikh.