Residents of District 3 in Savannah, Georgia, are calling on the city leaders’ intervention following a surge in the stray dog population in the area. Feral dogs and cats have become a day-to-day reality in Savannah, sparking worry among residents.
Stray dogs are cause for concern in Savannah, Georgia
Although a majority of the stray animals in Savannah do not pose a threat to the residents, it’s not uncommon for the dogs to attack.
Holly Murphy, a third district resident, spoke to WTOC News about the stray dog menace. Murphy told the news outlet that the stray canines have attacked her dog not once, but four times. One attack incident left her pup so badly injured that she had to rush her pet to the vet.
Now, anytime Murphy goes out with her dog for a walk, she carries with her an airhorn and citronella spray for safety purposes. That way, her dog won’t be a victim of another attack. An airhorn’s sudden high-pitched noise is quite effective in scaring away dangerous animals. A citronella spray, on the other hand, releases a strong scent that deters animals.
Murphy said she hopes the city leaders will consider partnering with local rescues to spay or neuter the feral dogs and felines. This, she believes, will significantly control the strays’ population.
“They might not know that the local rescues can provide spays and neuters,” Murphy shared. “I think that reaching out to the local rescues will help with the overpopulation of animals.”
Linda Wilder-Bryan, a third district official, encouraged more and more residents to raise the alarm on such issues, since city leaders may not be aware of the real situation on the ground without the residents’ voices.
“The citizens are our eyes and if they don’t let us know, then we can’t work on it,” Wilder-Bryan explained. “So any city, any district on the 3rd, the 1st, if you’re having a problem with feral cats, please let us know so we can entertain that and offer some real solutions to mitigate that.”
