 "Kerala wants to ‘euthanise’ sick stray dogs. How grave is India’s canine problem?")
Kerala has decided to “euthanise” diseased stray dogs amid rising cases of attacks on humans by the animals. The move has sparked a never-ending debate about the “right ways” to address the dog menace in the country.
The problem of dog bites and rabies-related deaths has also reached Parliament. While there are laws to curb the stray dog population, India is struggling to tackle the menace.
Let’s take a closer look.
Kerala to ‘euthanise’ sick strays
The Kerala government is planning to launch mobile sterilisation units in 152 blocks and allow the “euthanasia” of seriously ill animals, Local Self-Government Minister M B Rajesh said last week.
The Kerala government has invoked Section 8 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Animal Husbandry Practices and Procedures) Rules, 2023, to justify its move. The provision empowers the Centre or state government to euthanise any sick animal that is mortally wounded or in a physical condition that “it shall be cruel to keep it alive.”
Only a registered veterinary practitioner can determine the dog’s condition and consent has to be taken from the owner or custodian of the animal in writing.
This comes as stray dogs, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, bit 1.65 lakh people in the first five months of 2025. As many as 17 casualties have been reported due to dog attacks in Kerala.
Kerala has 2.89 lakh stray dogs and 8.36 lakh domesticated canines, Indian Express reported, citing the 2019 livestock census.
India’s stray dog population
India has a stray dog population of about 6.2 crore, according to the State of Pet Homelessness Index of India, 2023. At around 20 lakh, Uttar Pradesh had the largest population of stray dogs.
India witnessed 1.6 crore cases of dog bites between 2019 and 2022. As many as 30 lakh cases were reported in 2023 and 21.95 lakh in 2024.
The South Asian country reports an alarmingly high number of deaths due to stray dog bites. More than 55,000 people succumb to dog attacks globally every year. India accounts for 36 per cent of global rabies deaths and 65 per cent of the fatalities in South Asia, as per the World Health Organisation (WHO) data.
A study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal this year found that three in every four animal bites were dog bites in India, with the country estimated to record over 5,700 human deaths each year due to rabies.
Recently, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying SP Singh Baghel informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply that India saw a total of 37,17,336 dog bite cases in 2024, while 54 people were suspected to have died from rabies.
On Tuesday (July 22), Congress MP Karti Chidambaram raised concerns about the stray dog menace, writing in a post on X: “We can’t ignore this any more!”
We can’t ignore this any more! #Streetdogs pic.twitter.com/6sT4z4DcmO
— Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) July 22, 2025
Why India is struggling to tackle stray dog menace
Dogs are man’s best friends. However, the unchecked growth in stray dog population has become a problem in India.
Media reports are full of headlines of dogs attacking humans, especially children. Such incidents spread panic among parents who worry for their children’s safety. Some are forced to stop using public spaces amid fears of dog bites.
In 2001, India introduced Animal Birth Control (ABC) rules to lay down guidelines to control the street dog population through humane measures such as sterilisation and vaccination. It mandated corporations to sterilise, not kill, street dogs. The rules were upgraded in 2023, including banning relocation of street dogs.
A stray caught for sterilisation from a particular place has to be released at the same location after the sterilisation surgery.
However, the programme has not been implemented effectively. Due to a crunch of funds or infrastructure, some cities have not rolled out the ABC rules. In other cases, there is a lack of municipal bodies and animal welfare organisations.
The stray dog question also ignites the war between animal lovers and gated societies and resident welfare associations (RWAs).
Animal lovers feed the stray dogs, while RWAs want them to be removed from the area.
“In every city, there is a very small minority that says, remove the dogs. There’s an equally small pro-animal lobby. And then we have the silent majority of 85 per cent, who just keep quiet,” Chinny Krishna, founder of Blue Cross of India, told The Hindu in 2023.
Some cases of botched surgeries, including those without anaesthesia, have made feeders wary. There is also little post-operative care for the strays despite guidelines.
However, ferocious stray dogs are making it harder for people to go about their day without being concerned about attacks.
“I used to support feeding strays. But after my niece got chased on her cycle, I just want them gone,” Rita, a college student from Kerala’s Thrissur, was quoted as saying by Mathrubhumi.
Animal lovers argue that dogs get aggressive due to abuse, hunger, or territorial fear.
“I have had dogs all my life, and especially stray dogs have been my friends ever since I was a kid. I’m very sure that stray dogs never bite out of the blue. They bite only out of fear, hunger, pain, or if there’s a history of abuse they’ve had to go through. These animals survive in very harsh conditions and constantly have to manage on the streets without proper shelter, food, water, or kindness from people. Many people mistreat these animals, and that’s what makes them defensive. They’ll do anything to protect themselves and their territory, so whenever they feel threatened, they attack or growl,” Ann George, a content writer from Ernakulam, told the Malayalam newspaper.
ALSO READ: A Paw-fect Farewell to Ratan Tata: How the stray dogs of Mumbai have lost their best friend
What’s the solution?
The human-animal conflict can be managed. Experts say the effective implementation of ABC rules can check the surge in stray dog population.
Public awareness about rabies, proper surgeries and care of dogs and putting an end to animal abuse could help in dealing with the problem.
India can also look at the Netherlands, which managed the stray dog issue without killing the animals. Its ‘Collect, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Return policy, which began in the 1990s, has prevented the growth of feral dog populations. Today, the European country is free of stray dogs.
India aims to eliminate rabies by 2030. But only sustained efforts, effective implementation of ABC rules and proper waste management to reduce food sources for dogs can help meet the goal.
With inputs from agencies
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