Mangaluru: Even as dog-bite cases continue to worry Dakshina Kannada, official records reveal a clear shift in the pattern of incidents, with pet dogs responsible for the majority of bites over the last three years.Dr Arun Kumar Shetty, deputy director, department of animal husbandry and veterinary services, said the trend became evident after authorities began maintaining separate records for pet and street dog bite cases. “For the past three years, we have maintained separate records for street dog and pet dog bite cases. That’s when we realised that around 1,500 to 1,600 of these cases each month involve pet dogs,” he said.The data challenges the long-held perception that street dogs are the primary source of dog bite incidents. “Earlier, the blame was largely on street dogs. But records obtained from primary health centres, where nearly 99% of bite victims seek treatment, clearly indicate whether the biting animal was a pet or a street dog. A majority turn out to be pet dog cases,” Shetty explained.He added that many people bitten by pet dogs seek medical care even for minor bites or scratches as a precaution. “Most pet dogs are vaccinated, so the risk is generally lower. However, it is good that people prefer to be safe and consult doctors,” he said.
