Recently, the issue of man-animal conflict in urban spaces was brought to the fore again by the death of the scion of the Wagh Bakri Tea Group, its Executive Director, Parag Desai, in a freak accident involving stray dogs. It is ironic that a man who loved animals slipped and fell because of them while out for a walk and died of a brain hemorrhage a few days later. It was a tragedy no doubt, and a big loss to his family and the group. When incidents, particularly deaths involving stray animals take place, it is justified for people to be angry at the local bodies and the government for not keeping the stray dogs off the streets with effective implementation of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) initiative and also not preventing the spread of rabies in canines.
Desai’s unfortunate encounter is far from an isolated case. Stray dog attacks, which have claimed lives and inflicted injuries on numerous people, including children and senior citizens, continue to raise concerns throughout the country. Parliament data until November 2022 revealed a staggering 16 million cases of stray dog bites in India between 2019 and 2022, averaging over 10,000 cases daily. Moreover, the National Rabies Control Program reported 6,644 clinically suspected cases of human rabies and related deaths between 2012 and 2022. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, 4,146 reported cases of dog bites resulted in human fatalities in India in 2019.
Experts and activists have voiced their concerns about the inadequacies in India’s animal healthcare and control mechanisms, which have contributed to the unchecked proliferation of the stray dog population. Factors such as food scarcity and infections have been cited as triggers for these dogs’ aggressive behaviour. In response to the escalating problem, there have been calls for robust measures to tackle the menace of stray dogs. Disturbing videos of dog attacks that circulate on social media platforms have intensified public demands for action. These incidents often lead to confrontations between animal lovers advocating for the welfare of strays and those opposing their presence in public spaces.
In our increasingly crowded urban landscapes, an unexpected and growing source of concern has emerged – the unchecked proliferation of street dogs. This issue is multifaceted, stemming from the unchecked growth of street dog populations and a lack of responsible ownership. These factors have combined to create a situation where dogs, once cherished companions, are now contributing to a sense of terror and unease in our cities. The sight of a street dog lunging at a passerby or suddenly turning aggressive is a disconcerting experience. Today, the population of stray dogs is increasing while there is acute hunger all over the country. Crores of rupees are spent every year on sterilisation of stray dogs, but then how is their population increasing?
