Know Your Pooch
VK Joshi
The writer is former director, GSI, and an avid animal lover. His understanding of man's best friend comes from over six decades of dedicated association with it
These days, the media is full of reports about cases of dog bites and spats among human beings for and against dogs. So, I thought of sharing some of my views and ideas about this hot topic. According to various reports from the Animal Welfare Board and NGOs, India is home to an estimated fifteen to 20 crore dogs, out of which more than six crore are strays. While dogs are often called man’s best friend, the growing population of street dogs in urban and rural areas has turned into a serious public safety and health concern. Stray dogs in India evoke mixed emotions, including sympathy from animal lovers, fear from those attacked and frustration among authorities trying to manage the situation. The situation has reached such a state that people in residential societies are often seen fighting like dogs. Many times, the police have to intervene. This problem is not just about animals. It is a public health, urban planning and social responsibility issue. Addressing it requires a balanced approach that protects both human safety and animal welfare.
The scale of the problem
Stray dogs are found almost everywhere in India, such as on city streets, village roads, marketplaces, near schools and even inside hospitals. The issue becomes particularly alarming when they form aggressive packs, chase vehicles or attack pedestrians, children and the elderly. Dogs are pack animals and hunting is their instinct. They chase vehicles, especially two-wheelers, presuming they are prey, and in the process, fatal accidents often take place. Sometimes they attack without provocation. For example, a dog hiding under a car, chewing a bone, may attack you because he feels threatened by your presence. Sometimes, children get scared when they see dogs chasing each other, and they start to run. This provokes the dogs to chase the children and attack them. Whatever the reason may be, being bitten by a dog on the street is a serious issue, even for a hardcore dog lover like me. Some key statistics underline the seriousness of this issue. According to government health data, India records over 1.5 to 2 million dog bite cases every year. Furthermore, the World Health Organisation estimates that India accounts for around 36 per cent of the world’s rabies deaths, with most cases linked to stray dog bites. The problem has worsened in the last decade, partly due to ineffective sterilisation drives, unregulated garbage disposal and legal complexities in handling stray animals.
Causes behind stray dog menace
Uncontrolled breeding: Among the stray dogs, the females come into season once a year and produce five puppies on average. The sterilisation programme is ineffective. I have personally seen that the dog catchers from the municipalities are inexperienced or least interested in catching the dogs. The strays are also intelligent enough to escape and hide on seeing their vehicle. Without effective sterilisation programmes, the population grows exponentially. Usually, only the adult males are sterilised. This does not solve the problem, because a dog can sniff a female dog in season from a distance of one kilometre. Hence, a pack of fresh males hunts such females and the outcome is more puppies. The problem can be sorted easily if the female dogs are spayed. The Netherlands and other European countries have done this effectively. The implementation of the Animal Birth Control programme and returning the stray dogs to the places from where they were picked for sterilisation has created a piquant situation. A dog may be sterilised and vaccinated as well, but for a person on the street, a dog bite still means a full course of vaccination. Plus, the phobia of dog bites changes the psyche of such victims. The dog lovers who have so far escaped the fangs feel pity for the strays and care for them. Improper waste management: Dogs are carrion eaters, and improper waste disposal allows them to thrive. The gated housing societies are a heaven for strays because the waste management there is often not as good as it should be. In addition, the dog lovers who cannot keep dogs in their houses find the strays to be ideal pets and feed them. They do not ensure their vaccination or sterilisation, and they create safe feeding zones instead. This can unintentionally increase aggressive dog gatherings in residential areas. Legal protection issues: Indian laws protect stray dogs from culling under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the Animal Birth Control Rules. This makes removal or relocation a legally sensitive issue, which often causes conflict between residents and animal rights activists.
Impact on public health and safety
Rabies and other diseases: Rabies is almost cent per cent fatal once symptoms appear and stray dogs are the primary carriers in India. Apart from rabies, stray dogs may carry skin infections, worms, and other zoonotic diseases. Dog bite injuries: Dog attacks can cause severe injuries, especially to children. Aggressive packs near schools and playgrounds are a major concern. Road safety hazards: Stray dogs often run across roads or chase vehicles, which causes accidents, particularly at night. Public fear and tension: In many localities, residents live in constant fear of dog attacks. As already mentioned, this leads to social tension and disputes between feeders and non-feeders.
Existing measures and their gaps
The Indian government and municipal bodies have schemes to control stray dog populations, but gaps remain. The Animal Birth Control Programme is designed to sterilise and vaccinate stray dogs, then release them in the same area. However, funding shortages, limited infrastructure and a lack of trained personnel reduce its impact. Some NGOs have come up in metropolitan areas to assist the municipal authorities. However, the problem of the fear of getting bitten by a stray remains, irrespective of the fact of whether or not the dog is vaccinated. Public awareness campaigns regarding rabies exist but often fail to reach rural and semi-urban populations where the risk is highest. Waste management initiatives like the Clean India campaigns have improved waste collection in some cities, but open dumps are still common. The core issue is not the absence of laws or policies. It is the lack of coordinated implementation, monitoring and community involvement.
Possible solutions: A balanced and humane approach
Strengthen and expand sterilisation programmes: Municipal bodies must increase the scale of sterilisation and vaccination drives. They should aim for at least 70 per cent coverage of stray dogs in each area, which is the threshold needed to control population growth. As already mentioned, the sterilisation of female dogs will go a long way to control the dog population. Municipalities should partner with NGOs, veterinary colleges and private clinics for a wider reach. Additionally, mobile sterilisation units can serve remote and rural areas.
Improve waste management: Authorities must strictly enforce rules against the open dumping of food waste. They need to set up covered garbage bins and ensure regular collection, especially near markets, restaurants and residential colonies. Involving private waste management companies with performance-based contracts can also help. Regulated feeding zones: Communities should create designated feeding spots away from schools, playgrounds and main roads. Feeders must be encouraged to take responsibility for the dogs they feed by ensuring their sterilisation, vaccination and non-aggressive behaviour. Ardent dog lovers can engage professional dog trainers in housing societies so that these same strays can become an asset.
Public education and awareness: Authorities should run mass awareness campaigns about rabies prevention, dog behaviour and safe interaction with strays. They must teach school children basic safety rules, such as not provoking dogs, avoiding stray packs and reporting bites immediately. It is also important to educate communities on the importance of sterilisation over feeding alone. Stronger coordination between stakeholders: Municipal bodies, the police, health departments, animal welfare groups and residents must coordinate their efforts. Local Stray Dog Management Committees should be created for problem-solving at the ward or panchayat level. Adoption and shelter promotion: Local communities should encourage the adoption of vaccinated and sterilised street dogs to help reduce the population on the streets.
Conclusion
The stray dog crisis in India requires a shift toward structured female dog sterilisation, improved civic cleanliness and scientifically designated feeding zones rather than mutual animosity. Balancing compassion with public safety is essential to transform neighbourhoods into harmonious environments for both residents and canines.
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