Do we have a solution for stray dog menace in India?

The Supreme Court has issued an order directing that all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR be removed from residential localities and relocated to shelters within eight weeks. The court has warned of strict action, including contempt charges, against any individual or organisation obstructing the exercise. 

The move comes amid a sharp rise in dog bite incidents and rabies deaths in the capital. Hearing the matter after taking note of a news report on the growing number of stray dog attacks, a bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan stressed that the decision was guided by public interest. “We are not doing this for us, it is for the public interest. No sentiments of any nature should be involved,” Justice Pardiwala said. 

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that a site for relocation had been identified in Delhi, but the plan was halted after animal rights activists obtained a stay order. The bench made it clear that the adoption of stray dogs would not be permitted during this period to prevent the animals from being released back on the streets. 

The civic authorities of Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram have been instructed to immediately build shelters staffed with trained professionals who can handle the dogs, carry out sterilisation and vaccination, and ensure the animals cannot escape. The court also mandated the installation of CCTVs in these facilities and the creation of a helpline for dog bite cases. Within six weeks, authorities must capture at least 5,000 stray dogs from high-risk residential areas, with the shelters operational within eight weeks. 

This judicial intervention has triggered a heated debate — on one side, public health experts emphasise the urgent need to curb attacks and prevent rabies, while on the other, animal rights groups warn against measures they see as punitive and inhumane. 

What is the scale of dog menace in India?  

The numbers reveal the scale of the problem. According to official data accessed by PTI, Delhi has reported 26,334 dog bite cases so far this year. Of these, 9,920 cases were recorded at Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) hospitals and 15,010 at its anti-rabies vaccination centres. In 2024, the MCD recorded a total of 68,090 dog bite cases. 

Between January and June this year alone, 49 rabies cases were reported in the capital, alongside 35,198 animal bite incidents. Public health experts say these figures underscore the danger posed by large populations of unvaccinated stray dogs. 

Delhi’s stray dog population is estimated at around 10 lakh, according to MCD data and recent surveys. Yet, only 4.7 lakh dogs were sterilised in 2023 — far below the 70–80% sterilisation coverage that experts say is needed to stabilise the population. The shortfall has coincided with a sharp rise in attacks: data from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) shows dog bite cases in Delhi climbed from 6,691 in 2022 to 17,874 in 2023, and further to 25,210 in 2024 — a staggering 277% increase in just two years. The trend appears to be continuing into 2025, with 3,196 cases already reported in January alone. 

The crisis extends far beyond Delhi. The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), under the National Rabies Control Programme, recorded 37,17,336 dog bite cases across India in 2024, along with 54 suspected human rabies deaths. 

Kerala offers a striking example of how serious the situation can become at the state level. Dog bite cases there rose by more than 200% between 2013 and 2021 — from 62,280 in 2013 to 2,21,379 in 2021. 

A study published in The Lancet and funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) paints the clearest national picture yet. It found that India experiences 9.1 million dog bites each year, with dogs responsible for 76.8% of all animal bite incidents. Nearly one in five bite victims (20.5%) did not receive any anti-rabies vaccination, and almost half of those who began treatment did not complete the full course. 

The same study estimated 5,726 human rabies deaths annually in India and called for a “One Health” approach — integrating human and animal health surveillance, scaling up dog vaccination campaigns, and ensuring timely post-exposure prophylaxis — to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies by 2030. 

Why are dog bites dangerous?

Rabies is among the deadliest viral infections known to humans, with an almost 100% fatality rate once symptoms appear. In India, it continues to claim thousands of lives every year despite being entirely preventable. 

According to the Lancet study, rabies killed approximately 5,700 people in India in 2022–23. The World Health Organization estimates that India accounts for 36% of the global rabies death toll, which is around 60,000 annually. 

Dr Narendra Pardeshi, Veterinary Surgeon at The Small Animal Clinic, stressed that most dog bite incidents involve stray dogs, not pets. “In my clinic, we never notice dog bite cases because these are pet-owned dogs,” he said. He also emphasised that rabies has no cure in dogs or humans, making immediate post-bite treatment critical. “You can’t wait more than 24 hours after a dog bite. Wash the wound thoroughly with detergent, apply antiseptic, and avoid bandaging. Even if the dog is vaccinated, be safe and complete the post-exposure vaccination schedule,” he advised. 

The MCD and health authorities acknowledge that the availability of rabies vaccines is a pressing concern. The Supreme Court has directed the Delhi government to publish detailed, publicly accessible information about vaccine stocks, treatment centres, and the number of patients treated each month. 

However, the gaps are evident. Public hospitals in Mumbai have faced shortages of rabies injections, highlighting the fragility of the supply chain in critical moments. This endangers both humans and animals, as untreated dogs continue to spread the virus. 

What is the solution?  

While the Supreme Court’s relocation order aims to protect the public from immediate danger, experts and activists caution that it fails to address the root causes of the crisis. 

Dr Narendra Pardeshi acknowledged the court’s intent but stressed that relocation alone cannot be a lasting fix. “We do welcome the decision, but confining dogs in shelters or moving them to new areas disrupts their natural pack structure and territories, often sparking fights,” he explained. “A neutered dog, returned to its original locality, is less likely to bite because it recognises the people and other dogs there. But relocating it to a new area triggers territorial aggression from other dogs.” 

Having neutered over 2.5 lakh dogs in his career, including at Blue Cross Pune, Dr Pardeshi maintains that large-scale sterilisation and annual rabies vaccinations remain the only sustainable solutions. “One unneutered female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in just six years. Relocation alone won’t stop the cycle,” he said. He also advised against fear-driven reactions, which can escalate aggression: “Most bites happen when people panic and run. Dogs sense fear. Stay calm, don’t chase them away, and often they just want a friendly pat.” 

As per media reports, animal rights activist and former Union minister Maneka Gandhi also echoed these concerns, calling the court’s order “impractical”, “financially unviable”, and potentially damaging to Delhi’s ecological balance. Removing all stray dogs, she argued, would require massive infrastructure and funds — around Rs 15,000 crore — along with high weekly feeding costs, while risking public backlash. She also warned of ecological disruptions, such as an influx of monkeys or rats, and conflicts with dog feeders. Calling the ruling “unworkable”, she maintained that it would destabilise the city rather than solve the problem. 

At the heart of the debate lies a clash between the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules — framed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 — and the Supreme Court’s new stance. The ABC Rules mandate sterilisation, rabies vaccination, and release of stray dogs to their original location. The court, however, has rejected the release clause, directing civic bodies to instead house strays in dedicated shelters with no return to the streets. 

This story is done in collaboration with First Check, which is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS. 

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