Vizagites depend on dogs for security

Visakhapatnam: People living in individual houses on the outskirts of the city, high-end apartments and gated communities are queuing up for buying ferocious dogs to protect them from dacoits, rowdy-sheeters and thieves. In fact, they are trusting dogs more than private security personnel whom many house owners call zombies.

Pet shops are scattered across the city from Gajuwaka to Madhurawada and of them 25 to 30 shops are doing brisk business. “We are selling around 20 to 25 dogs every month and the demand for Doberman, Labrador and Rottweiler have gone up in the recent times. When we started this shop a few years ago, we were selling less than 10 dogs,’’ says owner of Honey Pets Ch Supriya, who did her post-graduation in English literature and an ardent lover of dogs herself.

Talking to this correspondent here on Sunday, she said some people are even buying a group of dogs for security as they don’t trust human beings or technology. One rich man has 18 dogs in house located at Visalakshminagar in the city. People are also asking for ferocious dogs like Akita, an Australian breed, Pig Bull, Cane Corso, Dogo Argentino, Chow Chow and American Bully, Supriya added.

Owners can also leave their animals at dog boarding houses while going on a long holiday. Around 30 boarding houses have come up in the city and Supriya herself owns one at Sagarnagar. Dog walkers are also available who would take care of health and other service, she added.

“We feel a sense of security having dogs. They can be trusted more than human beings,’’ said Mani Kumar referring to Vikram Dhamija murder which was conspired by his own apartment security supervisor. Even children and lonely women can be left alone under the security of dogs, he added. DCP of South T Ravi Kumar Murthy, who was in-charge of crime wing in the city, said one cannot depend on dogs alone. He cited a dacoity in the city in which the criminals fed the two ferocious dogs with biscuits laced with sedatives and broke into house.

“We cannot manage security with dogs. Now technology is available for automatic locking and alarms and residential complexes can avail branded security services,’’ the DCP added. Founder president of Visakha Society for Prevention Cruelty Against Animals Pradeep Nath said street dogs are already providing security howling at the strangers entering locality during odd hours. But people want the GVMC authorities to shoo them away from the city.

“People buy for fancy and security and abandon them after they buy a new breed as if the animals are dolls,’’ Nath said claiming that his society has rescued more than 70 per cent of the 25,000 pets dogs in the city which were abandoned by their cruel owners.

While talking to this correspondent, his volunteers Anuradha and Tarun rescued one sick Labrador from the streets and took it home. Nath said instead of buying expensive ferocious dogs, people should go for Indian breed which are more immune to diseases. Many police stations in rural areas are adopting Indian dogs for security to their arms and ammunition.

By KMP Patnaik