Dog Menace Continues to Bite Noida, Teenage Girl Attacked in Apartment Lift; Video Emerges

Noida: At a time when Delhi-NCR grapples with street dog menace, yet another dog attack incident has come to light from a housing society in Uttar Pradesh's Noida. In the latest incident, a teenaged girl was attacked by a pet dog inside the lift of a building in Lotus 300 Society in Noida’s Sector 107. The horrific incident was captured by the CCTV camera installed inside the lift.

The video shows a young girl standing inside the society's passenger lift. As the lift door opens, a dog jumps inside the lift and attacks her. She is pushed back into the lift and can be seen clutching her hand in pain after the dog bit her arm.

A man, appearing to be the dog's owner, follows the dog inside the lift and forces it outside so that no more harm is caused to the minor girl. He can be seen shooing away the dog and kicking him out of the lift. Within seconds, the lift door opens again as the dog scurries in for the second time but then moves away as the gates shut.

After she was left alone in the lift, the girl was seen shaking with fear and pain, seemingly crying and wiping her face with her t-shirt. Moments later, the lift reaches the ground floor and she exits. No statement has been issued by the society and the police so far.

This incident adds to the growing number of dog attacks in Noida, primarily occurring in affluent areas of Gautam Buddha Nagar. Such incidents have not only created furore in Delhi-NCR but also across the nation.

Recent Cases of Dog Attacks

• Last week, a six-year-old girl was attacked by stray dogs at a residential society in Noida's sector 70. The incident happened at the Pan Oasis Society, after which the residents protested against those who fed stray dogs on the society campus.
• On May 6, a five-year-old girl was attacked by two unleashed Rottweilers at a public park in Chennai's Thousand Lights area. The girl’s mother has also sustained injuries.
• On April 29, a video of a German Shepherd charging at a six-year-old riding her bicycle inside her apartment complex in Ghaziabad, also went viral.
• On April 9, a minor boy was critically injured in a Pitbull attack in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad.
• On March 18, a six-year-old boy was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs when he was going to his school in Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan.
• On February 26, a two-year-old girl was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs in the Dhobhi Ghat area of New Delhi’s Tughlaq Lane.
• On February 2, a one-year-old baby boy sleeping with his father in a hut was dragged out and killed by a pack of stray dogs in Telangana's Shamshabad.

Ban on Foreign Dog Breeds

Amid rising instances of pet dog attacks, the Centre has directed states to ban the sale and breeding of 23 breeds of ferocious dogs, including Pitbull Terrier, American Bulldog, Rottweiler and Mastiffs. The Centre also said that these breeds of dogs, which have already been kept as pets, should be sterilised to prevent further breeding.

The decision was taken by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying following an escalation in dog bite incidents involving specific breeds known for their aggressive behavior.

Noida Authority's Pet Policy

Amid increase in number of dog attacks, the Noida authority introduced a new pet policy in 2023, making it mandatory for pet dog owners to register their pets.

As per the pet policy, if a pet injures a person, the pet owner will have to pay a fine of Rs 10,000 and bear the expenses for the treatment of the injured. The policy also said that sterilisation and anti-rabies vaccination of pet dogs have been made mandatory. Failing to do so will render the pet owner liable to pay a fine of Rs 2,000 per month.

The policy also says that if a pet dog litters in a public place, then it will be the responsibility of the animal owner to clean it.

Last year, revisions to the laws were made under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), with the aim of replacing the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Under these new regulations, if your pet animal attacks a human, you could face fines of up to Rs 5,000 along with imprisonment for up to six months.

Stray Dogs Becoming a Menace: Delhi HC

On May 6, the Delhi High Court said  stray dogs are becoming a menace and sought the stand of the authorities here on a petition for a Rs 50 lakh compensation by the father of a one-and-a-half-year-old girl who was allegedly mauled to death by a pack of canines last month in Delhi's Tughlaq Lane.

"Feeding strays may be good but you are taking away their capacity to go and find their own food. They have nothing else to do," added the court.

Kerala High Court on Stray Dogs Issue

In March this year, the Kerala High Court had opined that the life of human beings should be given preference over stray dogs. The court also directed the state government to frame guidelines, schemes or rules to give licences to individuals interested in maintaining stray dogs so that dog lovers can protect the animals.