Stray dog mauls four-year-old boy in Kollam
A four-year-old boy from Maranad, near Kottarakara, is in the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital after being attacked by a stray dog about 11 a.m. on Wednesday while he was playing with his elder brother in the courtyard of their house.
The boy’s lower lip got split in the attack. His mother, Suja, who rushed to his rescue, was also bitten by the dog.
Doctors at the Kollam district hospital where he was initially admitted described the boy’s injury as ‘serious.’ The boy, identified as Alan, is in an Angawadi school and had a holiday on Wednesday because of Sree Krishna Jayanthi. His father is working in a Gulf country.
The boy’s mother said the dog simply refused to stop the attack even after her arrival.
The incident is in a series of stray dog attacks on humans in different parts of the State. The issue has been a point of debate in Kerala after an increase in incidents of stray dog attacks.
Strong opposition
Meanwhile, the Kerala government’s proposal to cull aggressive and rabid dogs has run into strong opposition from the Animal Welfare Board of India.
“There are no quick fix solutions. A long-term project involving the government, local bodies, and non-governmental organisations will be needed to bring the stray dog menace under control,” said N.N. Sasi, Director, Animal Husbandry. “It may take more than five years for the programme to show results.”
