With due respect, Alan, you guys have probably forgotten what it means
to live in a village... the not-so-good sides et al!
Dog bites are a reality here. Some facts:
* Last Monday, our pet dog bit my son, below his left eye! Though the
dog isn't rabid and the six-year-old was irritating him (in summer!) the
doctors, as a measure of precaution, prescribe anti-rabies vaccinations,
which are scar at that age. Fortunately, the young ex-LCHS alumni Dr
Rochelle of Sequeiravaddo (whose mum and dad are both docs) happened to
be at the Pediatrics Ward 133/135 when we droped in, and she was really
helpful.
* When we were kids, a rabid dog entered our vaddos (Sonarbhat and
Salmona) and bit a whole lot of other dogs, etc. My brother Ricky and
me, and the entire family of the Cordeiro sisters had to go in for the
then-prescribed, far-more-painful 14 subcutaneous injections under the
stomach skin! Suffering the same fate got me to know the Cordeiros.
Dog bites can be serious busines, and I understand what the original
question is all about.
How would one deal with it?
* Vaccinate your dog on schedule, it reduces risks. The scary thing
about rabies is that, on contracting it, it's sure death! No cure. The
employee of editor Rajan Narayan died recently from rabies, and it made
big news in his Goan Observer weekly.
* I noticed even at my environmentalist friend Dr Claude Alvares' home
in Parra the sign which read, "Big dogs, ring bell". Right enough, when
I rang the bell, the big dogs did come running. I was thankful that I
had been cautioned!
* Tie up the dog when any visitors or attendants call. Not everyone
likes dogs. Some are scared when they encounter one, causing the dog to
over-react.
* If a dog bites, the routine remedy is to wash the wound thoroughly,
preferably with lifebuoy soap. The doctors on this list could offer
better advice, and there are some write-ups online too (at your own
risk). I am not knowledgeable in this field.
* The doctors will take precaution and treat any dog bite as a potential
rabid bite. They will not consider the 'facts of the case' and what
possibly lead to a bite by a perfectly normal dog. If I recall right,
the risk is that normal dogs too could be sometimes carriers of rabies.
* If we have a dog with a history of biting others, it's a duty to take
additional care.
* If a neighbour's dog bites, I guess the attitude is important. Even
with the most helpful of attitudes, the risk is present. But otherwise,
when the owners show no empathy, it can be both risky and irritating!
* Legally, I think the police can take action under the Public Nuisance
laws (some section of the Indian Penal Code). Whether they will devote
time and manpower to actually act is anyone's guess. But one can
complain notheless.
* Of course, this could provoke bad-neighbourliness. But it is important
to explain to the dog owners if there is more than one case, of why
precaution needs to be taken, and what are the risks involved. I agree
it is a serious issue. -- FN
Alan Fernandes wrote:
Hey Seby,
I dont think they have a PROCEDURE when a neighbour's dog bite you, but in the Wild West there ar 2 options
1) Shoot the neighbour
2) Then shoot the dog
Does anyone know what procedures are followed in Goa when a neighbour's dog bites you ?
You can File a police complaint -AND complain to the panchayet - by law BOTH shd do something
I've had that experience once and the panchayet did take action by issuing a
letter to the party
Ash
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