Cold kills 750 stray animals in 10 days

LUCKNOW: The biting cold has not only made it tough for humans but also taken a toll on stray animals. In fact, the chilly weather has claimed lives of more than 750 stray animals since January 1 when there was a sharp fall in the temperature.

According to LMC officials, the civic body’s control room gets information about death of at least 70-80 stray animals every day. Of these, around 50% deaths are because of extreme cold conditions while rest are due to accidents or some disease.

“Most of stray cattle consume polythene which reduces their metabolic activity. Due to lack of food and choking polythene bags, mortality rate increases in winters,” said additional municipal commissioner

Anil Kumar Mishra

.

Seeking warmth, strays were found entering shelter homes
Stray dogs on the other hand do not get enough food and water in winters, which takes toll on their health, he said. Under these circumstances they fell victim to cold easily. There are also cases in which animals died in accidents due to fog. Mishra said that the strays should be fed well as chances of death reduced if animals are not empty stomach.

In a reality check by TOI in

Gomtinagar

, Indiranagar, Hazratganj, LDA Colony on

Kanpur Road

and Mahanagar, most of the strays were spotted near bonfires or hiding in tunnels or under shades of shops covered with polythenes.

At many places, desperation for getting to warmer places was such that strays were found entering shelter home tents to share blankets with inmates. In Gomtinagar, street dogs were spotted sheltering themselves in cardboards and straws piled up near roadsides while others were found taking shelter under trucks and other four-wheelers or under trolleys of street food vendors.

“Sweaters, paw pads and easily digestible food can help to protect animals from winters. Animals should be cared like babies during winters,” said Dr Rakesh Varshney.