Dog Attack in Thane: 10-Year-Old Girl Attacked by Stray Dog in Kanchanpushp Complex

A 10-year-old girl was attacked by a stray dog while riding a scooter with her mother in Thane's Kanchanpushp complex on Thursday. The incident has renewed concerns about the growing stray dog population and safety issues in the city.

The attack has highlighted the increasing number of stray dog bites in the complex, with residents reporting 10-15 incidents in the past 2-3 months. This has caused fear and anxiety among residents, particularly children and senior citizens, who feel unsafe walking, jogging, or cycling alone.

Despite complaints to the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) 10 days ago, residents say no action has been taken to address the issue.

“The incident happened on February 22 when my daughter and I were returning from her Kathak class. I was riding the scooter, and she was on the back seat. When our scooter entered the complex, out of nowhere, a dog pounced on her and attacked her leg. She was severely hurt and in a painful condition. We immediately went to the doctor, and my daughter is still undergoing treatment. Her exams are ongoing, and she is scared due to this trauma,” Nupur Zola, whose 10-year-old daughter was attacked by a stray dog, told LokmatTimes.com,

 Zola informed that she has written a letter to the TMC, urging immediate removal of the 2 to 3 dogs frequently engaging in such violent attacks.

“We are not against dog lovers, as it is our duty to take care of animals. But what if they are attacking our young kids? By keeping them in the society, we are risking both human and animal life. Instead, such dangerous dogs should undergo proper treatment,” said Zola.

These stray dogs suddenly run up, bark, scratch seat covers, or go to the roof of the car and create a mess. A local resident said, “Just as a person who commits a crime or beats someone to the point of bleeding goes to jail, shouldn't dogs that bite and attack people be banished? Vaccination is not enough. Who will bear the medical expenses for this? The Municipal Corporation should pay attention to this matter and immediately remove the biting dogs from the complex.”

Another resident added, “These dogs run over food and parcel delivery boys. Once or twice, they get hurt by bike falls. They also bark at old people walking around the complex at night or at children cycling. People are afraid of them.” A senior citizen, whose grandchild was recently attacked by a stray dog, urged, “We urge TMC to take these dangerous dogs away before they cause more damage. They are unpredictable and risky.”

It is pertinent to mention that there are 2-3 people in the society who feed food to these dangerous dogs.

According to the guidelines issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India, caregivers are advised not to feed street dogs close to residences not their own. They are also advised to avoid feeding street dogs immediately adjacent to areas in which children play, or people take walks, or that are otherwise crowded. Moreover, feeding must not be done in a manner that contributes to littering or dirtying any feeding site. Caregivers are advised to clean up feeding sites after feeding is over.