Stray dogs.

Can anyone tell me have they encountered any problems with stray dogs in Goa?

Stray dogs.

No. The only problems I%26#39;ve encountered have been with people dumping puppies and obviously very sick animals abandoned.

There are always stray dogs on the beach and around, but generally they%26#39;re pretty well behaved. If you%26#39;re in the south and you see a sick dog, contact the Goa Animal Welfare Trust (www.gawt.org), and in the north there is the International Animal Welfare Centre (sorry, I don%26#39;t have the link).

Most of the dogs on the beach will just want to lie under your sunbed for a bit of shade. They won%26#39;t do any harm. Just be sensible and use your common sense when you see them. Most are ridiculously friendly, but scared of people because they get kicked and have things thrown at them. I have anti-rabies jabs before I go because I%26#39;ve always been a soft touch where animals are concerned.

Stray dogs.

ooooooooo I never thought of Rabies!! I am a soft touch with the stray dogs in Goa and always stoke them no time for a jab now though!!!

Kim

It%26#39;s only the last couple of years I%26#39;ve bothered, Kim, because I%26#39;ve been involved with one of the charities. I probably wouldn%26#39;t otherwise.

My friend got bitten by a stray 2 years ago but glad to say she didn%26#39;t get rabies. Didn%26#39;t think of the anti-rabies jab either to be honest.

Stray dogs have been a problem in Goa for as long as I can remember. They are the reason we stopped walking the beach early in the morning, not shack dogs but awful looking things that live on the beach.

They also gather in packs at the top of Calangute High Street later at night and it is very frightening to have to walk past them.

Monkeys can be carriers of rabies...and when food is around they can also get aggressive. Worth remembering before you start handing out bananas.

Do not touch any cats or dogs in Goa (or indeed anywhere else in India). Stay well away from wild monkeys anywhere - they all have the capacity to carry rabies. I got bitten by a monkey in Delhi 3 years ago - any bite or scratch must be treated as exposure and a course of injections started. They are not pleasant %26amp; you must have them on specific days post-exposure for about a month - it%26#39;s quite inconvenient to keep going back for the jabs but vey necessary. On my return to the UK the National Rabies Centre in Colindale decided that I must also have immunoglobulin injections becasue of the high risk of rabies in India. Especially unpleasant.

Do not feed strays on the beach. Do not encourage them them to lie under your sunbed (they%26#39;ve probably got fleas anyway and under the sunbed is just a bit too close to stop you scratching!) or allow them to join your group.

Be very careful when you walk along the beach, especially the quieter stretches since small packs of dogs sometimes appear from nowhere. Remember, these are not like your pet dogs at home - do not go not near them. It is not worth the risk.

If, like me, you are a softie when it comes to dogs generally, get involved with the animal welfare charities in Goa (LondonGoaGirl has posted details in this thread).

If you do get bitten or scratched, go straight to a chemist or doctor to start the jabs and get the wound cleaned. Oh - and don%26#39;t let those dogs lick you just in case your skin is broken and not quite as saliva-proof as you%26#39;d hoped

Just a quick word.

Went today for tyfoid booster injection.

I asked the practice nurse about the rabies

injection, %26amp; did we require it.

She checked %26amp; said we do not require the course

of injections.I`ll keep watching T A for up dates.

Anything comes through we are back to see her.

Yorkieborn, remember that if you get a single rabies shot that you will still need to undergo a full course of post exposure jabs if you get scratched or bitten. You have slightly longer to get yourself to a doctor to begin the course of shots, a real advantage if you are miles from the nearest doctor. It%26#39;s fairly unusual to get a rabies jab in advance of a trip to Goa unless you are planning on working in an animal shelter etc. You will never be more than about a 30 minute drive, probably much less, in the event of bites, scratches in Goa.

Regardless of whether or not you decide to get a jab in advance, stay well away from the strays. Do not touch them. The post exposure course of jabs is not pleasant, speaking from experience

The dogs are there because the tourists feed them.

What you should bear in mind is that when the season is over and their food source goes home, these animals have to look elsewhere for their food and become aggressive. In Benaulim village they attacked and killed the locals pigs. This resulted in the locals shooting and poisoning them.

Please remember that when you encourage these animals you are contributing to their deaths and misery.

If we tourists don%26#39;t encourage dogs by feeding them, then there will be less dogs and therefore less of a problem to the area.

BC