In a major public health initiative aimed at safeguarding residents, protecting students and promoting humane animal care, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services has launched an intensive mass awareness campaign titled ‘Stray Dog Bite Prevention and Management’ across the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
With the UT continuing to maintain its long-standing rabies-free status, the campaign focuses on preventing dog-bite incidents through community education, responsible pet ownership and scientific management of stray dogs.
In a systematic north-to-south outreach, veterinary teams have already covered thousands of schoolchildren, teachers, panchayat representatives, shopkeepers and local residents. The campaign began in North & Middle Andaman (Diglipur, Mayabunder, Rangat, Kadamtala), moved through Car Nicobar, Teressa, Katchal, Kamorta and Nancowry, covered Swaraj Dweep and Shaheed Dweep, and has now reached South Andaman, including Sri Vijaya Puram and Ferrargunj.
During each session, teams highlight simple, practical and potentially life-saving measures:
- Maintain distance from unfamiliar dogs
- Avoid teasing or disturbing animals, especially while they are eating or sleeping
- Wash bite or scratch wounds with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes
- Report incidents immediately to the nearest health or veterinary centre
- Vaccinate pet dogs regularly
- Avoid roadside feeding of stray dogs
- Support the Department’s Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, described as the most effective and humane method to regulate stray dog populations.
Awareness programmes are currently underway in government and private schools across the Islands. According to the Department, school authorities and community members have responded positively and requested that the sessions be conducted regularly.
Officials have assured that the campaign will be further expanded in the coming weeks to include more schools, gram panchayats, market areas and tourist locations.
