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Kohima, August 10 (MExN): The Association of Kohima Municipal Wards Council (AKMWC) has urged the District Administration and Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) to take “effective action” against unleashed and “dangerous” dogs in Kohima, claiming stating that residents continue to face threats from dog attacks despite existing directives and regulations.
The association stated that various colony and ward councils had introduced rules and regulations within their localities to address the problem of unleashed dogs. However, it said the District Administration in January 2025 and the KMC in October 2024 issued directives prohibiting such local actions and assumed responsibility for dealing with the issue under applicable laws.
The AKMWC pointed to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, and directions concerning the safety of children. It also noted that the KMC had established a Dog Pound in September 2017 and framed rules for impounding unleashed dogs, imposing penalties and facilitating their disposal to suitable homes.
According to the association, the authorities had also outlined measures covering centralised reporting and managed intervention, school and public protection, responsible pet ownership, mandatory leashing and containment, vaccination, as well as dog impoundment and fines.
“However, residents continue to endure the menace of unleashed dogs unabated to this day,” the AKMWC stated, adding that ward and colony councils were answerable to residents when incidents occurred but had been left without effective means to respond after being directed not to take local action.
The association said there had been “constant reports of dog bites of varying degrees of severity” in Kohima. It recalled an incident involving a three-year-old child at PWD Lower Colony on March 15, 2025, following which the AKMWC submitted representations and issued a public statement seeking urgent measures to curb the menace.
The latest incident occurred on the afternoon of August 4 at Ward No. 1 High School, Kohima, where, according to the AKMWC, a young woman was attacked by an unleashed dog that was “marketed and kept as an ‘American Bully XL.’” The association said the owner intervened and restrained the animal.
“The ‘XL’ is no standard breed. It is a marketing sales pitch, and it is Kohima’s residents who are paying for it,” the AKMWC stated.
The association said the victim was hospitalised and undergoing treatment for multiple deep puncture wounds, extensive bruising and crushing injuries, as well as areas where the skin and underlying tissue had been torn away.
The AKMWC said the injuries demonstrated the “grave danger” posed when powerful, aggressive and inadequately controlled crossbred dogs are kept in densely populated urban residential areas.
“The status quo cannot be allowed to continue,” it stated, warning that repeated serious attacks could eventually result in fatalities unless responsible regulation, identification, control and restrictions on keeping such dogs are considered in the interest of public safety.
The AKMWC said it was therefore urgently calling upon the District Authorities and KMC to take action within 30 days on a set of measures.
