Nagpur: Not only motorists but wild livestock and male dogs are also injured in an accident on the road in the city.
The Department of NMC animals has recorded injuries at 13,888 animals including livestock, dogs, cats, goats, and pigs in the past 4.4 years (from April 1, 2017 to 31 July 2021).
This means nine animals estimates hurt in a road accident every day.
Animal activists claim that the number of road accidents involving more animals than what NMC is recorded.
According to them, the Civic body only considers the numbers of injured animals received in animal shelter in Banhandewadi.
According to data obtained from the department, in the last 52 months, as many as 9,358 wild dogs were injured in an accident on the road, followed by 3,127 cows, 1,370 cats, 17 goats and four pigs.
Eight birds from different species are also exposed to vehicles on the road.
The injured animal was taken to the NMC-cum-animal-shelter hospital.
At least 30% of them die immediately or after a few days, said an official.
In the first four months of this financial year (April 1, 2021 and 31 July 2021), 461 animals (298 wild dogs, 114 cows and 49 cats) were injured in an accident on the road.
In 2020-21, there were fewer accidents compared to 2019-20 because the vehicle movement was limited during covid-induced locking.
In 2020-21, NMC recorded 3,442 wild animals injured in an accident on the road, while the figure was 4,262 in 2019-20.
NMC officials acknowledged that the actual number of injured animals could be far more because many people did not bother to tell the Civic’s body every time an accident on the road occurred.
“On the contrary, they let the animal die and speed up,” said Niha Khan, an animal activist and members of the Endeavor Foundation.
Most accidents involving wild animals occur well because of the driving or bad lighting on the road.
There are at least five NGOs working for wild animals in the city.
Together they get around 15 cases every day.
“On average, we treat around 60 animals including cats, kittens, dogs and puppies every month,” Khan said.
Animal activists emphasize the need for NMC to start the animal birth control project and shift livestock outside the city limits.