Execution, not emotion, will solve India’s stray dog problem

For centuries, dogs have lived alongside humans, guarding homes, herding livestock, and offering loyal companionship. This bond earned them the enduring title of “man’s best friend.” Yet in an India that is urbanising at a rapid pace, this relationship is under visible strain. Cities and towns are reporting an alarming rise in human–animal conflicts. 

The statistics are sobering. In 2024, India recorded 37.2 lakh dog bite cases: over 10,000 incidents every single day. According to the World Health Organisation, rabies claims nearly 59,000 human lives globally each year, with India alone accounting for 36 per cent of this burden, an estimated 18,000–20,000 deaths annually. Almost 99 per cent of human rabies cases are dog-mediated, and tragically, children make up between 30 and 60 per cent of fatalities. Some recent epidemiological studies suggest lower estimates, around 5,700 deaths a year, but the scale of under-reporting across states makes it clear that the true toll remains unacceptably high.

These figures underscore a deeper truth. Dogs are not born “menaces.” They are creatures thrust into hostile environments where they struggle to survive, often becoming aggressive in return. What we face today is not simply an animal problem, but a governance challenge that requires empathy balanced with execution.

Judicial balancing acts

The Supreme Court’s recent handling of stray dogs in Delhi illustrates this complexity. On August 11 this year, the apex Court directed that strays be picked up and kept in shelters, with no release back onto the streets. Within days, after hearing objections and considering both the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, and the shortage of shelter infrastructure, a larger Bench of the Supreme Court modified the order. It held that sterilised and vaccinated dogs should be released back to their localities, except in cases of rabies or aggression.

This change reflected the Court’s effort to reconcile human safety with legal and practical realities. But it has not been able to resolve the problem. Several such reports have emerged afterwards too. In Pune’s Vadgaonsheri area, CCTV footage this week showed a little girl being dragged by four stray dogs before bystanders rushed to her aid. Around the same time in Pimpri-Chinchwad, a man was surrounded and attacked by seven dogs on his way to work, narrowly escaping injury by shielding himself behind his scooter. Such incidents underline that while judicial directions may shift, the lived reality of frequent attacks remains unresolved.

Policy gaps find voice in Parliament

In July 2024, in Rajya Sabha, I raised the issue through a Special Mention, highlighting the rising toll of bite cases and rabies deaths and urging the need for a framework that safeguards both human life and animal welfare. The point was clear: this is not a question of choosing between compassion and security, but of creating systems that protect both. Such interventions highlight the gap that persists. Judicial pronouncements and municipal drives, however well-meaning, cannot substitute for a coherent legislative framework. The Animal Birth Control Rules provide an important base, but without complementary provisions for emergency response, victim compensation, reliable data systems, and inter-agency coordination, India’s response will remain piecemeal.

Global experiences call for policy harmonisation

The world offers examples of how sustained and structured action can work. Bhutan has achieved near-universal sterilisation of its strays. Switzerland treats abandonment of pets as a crime punishable by imprisonment. The Netherlands reached the milestone of zero stray dogs through organised sterilisation and vaccination programmes. These experiences demonstrate that intent alone does not solve the problem; what matters is a framework of execution that is humane, scientific, and consistent. India stands at a similar crossroads. 

While the courts have played a vital role in spotlighting the urgency of the issue, the responsibility of designing governance systems must be shared across institutions, especially as the scale of the challenge varies across regions, states, and localities. Our institutions must therefore evolve to treat this as a priority at every level — local, state, and national. The executive brings infrastructure, resources, and capacity; the legislature provides coherence and direction through a statutory framework; and the judiciary ensures constitutional principles are upheld, offering guidance where needed. When these three wings of democracy — the Legislature, the Executive, and the Judiciary — work in concert, India can move towards a sustainable, humane, and implementable solution. For this spirit of cooperation and balance that can both safeguard public safety and preserve the dignity and welfare of the animals that have lived alongside us for centuries. Ultimately, this urban conflict requires an intelligent intervention, rather than blanket elimination drives driven by apathy. By re-forging our relationship with the dogs through care, control, and cooperation, we can make sure that the sobriquet ‘man’s best friend’ is not a bitter irony, but continues to be a reality. 

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