Vellore Regional Authorities Scale Up Canine Vaccination After Viral Attack Incident
Municipalities across Vellore, Ranipet, and Tiruvannamalai have accelerated sterilization and anti-rabies programs. The initiative follows public outcry after a toddler survived a group dog attack in Vaniyambadi.
Strategic Response to Rising Safety Concerns
Local administrations across the Vellore region are intensifying efforts to manage community dog populations through aggressive vaccination and sterilization protocols. Following an incident in Vaniyambadi town where a three-year-old boy, N. Rithvik, was attacked by a pack of dogs, public pressure for intervention has escalated. The attack, captured on CCTV and shared widely via social media, prompted districts to prioritize the safety of vulnerable groups, specifically children and the elderly.
Progress in Vaccination and Infrastructure
In Tiruvannamalai, where approximately 150,000 devotees visit the Arunachaleswarar temple daily, the Corporation has already vaccinated over 4,000 of its estimated 5,175 dogs. Commissioner K. Balasubramanian confirmed that the city is nearing completion of its first dedicated Animal Birth Control (ABC) center, a project valued at Rs 64 lakh. Priority for these health interventions is currently being given to areas surrounding hospitals and schools.
Vellore district faces the largest challenge, with a census of 45,829 community dogs. As of July 25, records show:
- Vellore Corporation: 27,102 dogs currently reside here, with 7,496 vaccinations completed.
- Pernambut and Gudiyatham: Combined total of 4,161 dogs identified.
- Ranipet: Approximately 12,000 dogs across major towns, with over 60% already vaccinated.
Coordinated Government Implementation
The Department of Animal Husbandry, in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Animal Welfare Board and various NGOs, has established a routine involving mass clinical drives every Saturday. According to G. Anduvan, Joint Director In-charge of the Department of Animal Husbandry in Vellore, veterinarians are currently balancing this canine initiative alongside a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccination drive for cattle, which has an August 1 deadline.
District Collector Vandana Garg recently inspected these operations in Tiruvannamalai to verify the effectiveness of the rollout. Residents like K. Vanitha noted that consistent sterilization represents the most viable path toward reducing canine populations over time, potentially allowing families to use outdoor spaces with less frequent encounters.
Source: The Hindu — Home
