According to records of the Anti-Rabies Centre and Civil Dispensary in Sector 19, 6,255 cases of dog bite were reported in 2008. Of these, 4,635 cases were from Chandigarh alone.

In fact, the figures are marginally higher than the previous few years.

This, despite several fancy proposals by the civic authorities, which have remained on paper only.

According to the data, the months from January to July are more active in terms of “canine bites” as the average number of cases range around 600 per month.

From August to December, the average number is about 450 to 475 patients per month.

Dr G P Singh, medical officer at the Anti-Rabies Centre, told Newsline: “Each case that comes to us is treated as an emergency rabies case. It takes up to 10 days to ascertain whether the dog that had bitten the individual was rabid or not but we cannot wait that long to start treatment. Therefore, we begin by giving anti-rabies serum to all patients.”

He added that rabies can be fatal if not treated in time.

On Monday, District and Sessions Court judge K K Garg was bitten by a stray dog, suspected to be rabid, in Sector 24. The carcass of the dog will be sent to Kasauli for chemical analysis.

‘Stray dogs roam our parks and I am wary of letting my kids play there’

The incident of a judge being bitten by a stray dog, suspected to be rabid, in Sector 24 on Monday has brought the canine menace into sharp focus again. Newsline reports

Amarjeet Singh, resident of Sector 45
The administration needs to take concrete steps to curb the menace. Sterilisation of dogs may be a solution. We are scared to venture out at night as you never know when the dogs may strike.

Navkiran, resident of Sector 27
Stray dogs roam our parks and I am wary of letting my children play there as they are an easy target for dogs.

Jaswant Singh, resident of Sector 27
Stray dogs chasing two-wheelers and cars is a common sight in our sector. This has resulted in numerous accidents but the authorities are yet to take note of our problems.

Neha, resident of Sector 28
Sterilisation of dogs is a must. The presence of so many dogs on the roads is especially dangerous for children. Also, the streetlights do not work properly. In the darkness, we may step on dogs and they may bite us.

Anil Kumar, resident of Sector 22
The Municipal Corporation is sleeping. Stray dogs should be caught and kept in a dog pound.