<p>Bengaluru: Even after a host of interventions, Bengaluru continues to record close to 2,000 cases of stray dog bites every month, data access by <em>DH</em> shows.</p>.<p>While stray dog menace has been a problem for years now, data showed that there has been not much reduction in the number of cases over the last few years.</p>.<p>However, animal activists say the number of dog bite cases may be inflated.</p>.<p>Arun Prasad, animal activist, said bite figures were being inflated because global and multilateral programmes (including a One Health initiative backed by the World Health Organisation and World Bank) operate performance-linked funding that rewards higher reported bite numbers.</p>.<p>“It is a vaccine scam,” Prasad said, suggesting that repeated vaccine visits were being logged as multiple dog bite incidents.</p>.<p class="CrossHead">‘Reporting up now’</p>.<p>Priya Chetty Rajagopal, animal-rights advocate, said the reporting of the incidents had increased now. “Earlier dog bites were not recorded, now they are,” she said.</p>.<p>GBA officials also said the numbers could be higher since people tend to get a vaccine even for minor dog touch or even if a dog licks them and every person taking a vaccine is considered to have had a dog bite. </p>.The dog story: Why do strays go on a biting rampage?.<p>“Our helplines get only 50 to 60 complaints about aggressive dogs every month. However, at the hospital, once a person takes a vaccine, it is reported as a dog bite. One may take vaccine even after a dog licks or some of those who have pets also take vaccine as a preventive measure. All of these might have inflated the numbers,” a GBA official <br />said.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Even after a host of interventions, Bengaluru continues to record close to 2,000 cases of stray dog bites every month, data access by <em>DH</em> shows.</p>.<p>While stray dog menace has been a problem for years now, data showed that there has been not much reduction in the number of cases over the last few years.</p>.<p>However, animal activists say the number of dog bite cases may be inflated.</p>.<p>Arun Prasad, animal activist, said bite figures were being inflated because global and multilateral programmes (including a One Health initiative backed by the World Health Organisation and World Bank) operate performance-linked funding that rewards higher reported bite numbers.</p>.<p>“It is a vaccine scam,” Prasad said, suggesting that repeated vaccine visits were being logged as multiple dog bite incidents.</p>.<p class="CrossHead">‘Reporting up now’</p>.<p>Priya Chetty Rajagopal, animal-rights advocate, said the reporting of the incidents had increased now. “Earlier dog bites were not recorded, now they are,” she said.</p>.<p>GBA officials also said the numbers could be higher since people tend to get a vaccine even for minor dog touch or even if a dog licks them and every person taking a vaccine is considered to have had a dog bite. </p>.The dog story: Why do strays go on a biting rampage?.<p>“Our helplines get only 50 to 60 complaints about aggressive dogs every month. However, at the hospital, once a person takes a vaccine, it is reported as a dog bite. One may take vaccine even after a dog licks or some of those who have pets also take vaccine as a preventive measure. All of these might have inflated the numbers,” a GBA official <br />said.</p>
