Museum dog attack sparks demand to remove strays from public institutions

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The stray dog attack reported from the Museum premises has triggered widespread concern across the capital, with the City Corporation flooded with calls demanding the removal of dogs from public institutions. However, the absence of adequate shelters has landed the civic authorities in a fix. On Wednesday, the Corporations dog squad captured four dogs from the public office premises following complaints from officials. We are getting numerous requests from various establishments to remove stray dogs. But the lack of shelters to house them remains a serious challenge, said an official. In the wake of Tuesdays incident where five morning walkers were attacked by a stray dog the Museum authorities have decided to tighten regulations inside the campus. Consumption of food brought from outside has been restricted to prevent dogs from being attracted to the premises. We have put up display boards prohibiting eating in certain areas. Our resources are limited, but efforts are on to implement these measures effectively. People leaving food waste around is one of the main reasons for dogs entering the premises. One more dog was removed from the premises on Tuesday morning, said P S Manjula Devi, director of Museum and Zoo. She added there has been no decline in the number of morning walkers or visitors since the incident.