Dog biting policemen dies, tests positive for rabies

PUNE: The suspected rabid dog died around 10am on Friday in the RESQ Charitable Trust’s isolation ward, a day after he bit four persons on the city police comissionerate premises.
The RESQ authorities said the dog tested positive for rabies after a post-mortem test was conducted. Indrakshi Banerji, the RESQ veterinarian, told TOI that the white dog, about 2-3 years old, was male and presented signs of suspected rabies.
“There was an old, deep infected dog bite wound above his left eye. His eyes were red and he displayed signs of hyperagression, vocalization and nervous disorientation. He was brought to the RESQ centre late on Thursday night and was kept in the infectious disease isolation ward for observation. After he passed away, we conducted post-mortem rabies testing. His brain tissue sample tested positive for rabies,” said Banerji.
Neha Panchamiya, president, RESQ Charitable Trust (RESQCT), said the non-government organization (NGO) was currently awaiting an official permission from authorities to vaccinate the other dogs on the police commissionerate premises against rabies.
She said the incidence of rabies in the city was on the rise and the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) should look at the source of the increase in the street dog population and re-evaluate the solutions being resorted to. “Until there is a system enabling accountability of all animals in the city and tackling the highest contributors to the rise of street dog population — semi-owned unrestricted dogs not allowed to be picked up for Animal Birth Control (ABC), our city will never see a drop in street animal population,” said Panchamiya.
“RESQCT recently approached the PMC to launch an easy to implement system available,” said Panchamiya.
A PMC health department official said, “The implementation of the system that the NGO suggested to curb the dog population and rabies threat is in the pipeline.”