Supreme Court stray dog order: Why rabies is deadly, what to do after a bite

India Today

18 hours ago

If you live in Delhi or its surrounding cities, you've probably noticed street dogs everywhere, lounging near markets, hanging around garbage spots, or following people on evening walks. But now, things might be about to change.On August 11, 2025, the Supreme Court took its strongest step yet on the issue, ordering Delhi and its satellite towns to catch every street dog within eight weeks, keep them permanently in pounds, and rapidly build shelter capacity.advertisementThe reason? The city records roughly 30,000 dog bite cases every year, and rabies, a deadly but preventable disease, still claims lives, especially among those who struggle to access timely treatment.
The move clashes with the existing Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, which say healthy street dogs should be caught, sterilised, vaccinated, and then released back into their territory. These rules even make it illegal to permanently relocate or confine healthy dogs, unless they are rabid, incurably ill, or proven dangerously aggressive by a vet.The problem? In reality, sterilisation drives have been patchy and slow, rarely achieving the 70% coverage needed to curb reproduction.But besides this legal and administrative tug-of-war, the reality of dog bite cases is playing out quite prominently in hospital emergency rooms.The growing street dog population directly feeds into rising bite cases, and for doctors on the frontlines, the debate over capture, sterilisation, or permanent impoundment translates into a very real public health problem.'Right now, we manage 40–50 animal bite cases a month, most of them from stray dogs,' says Dr. Anurag Aggarwal, Director & HOD, Emergency Medicine & Trauma, Fortis Hospital, Noida. 'A large number of these are serious enough to require immediate medical care and post-exposure prophylaxis.'Category I: Touching or feeding animals, licks on intact skin - No treatment needed.Category II: Minor scratches or nibbling on unbroken skin - Vaccine required.Category III: Deep bites, wounds, or contamination of mucous membranes - Vaccine and immunoglobulin required.Category II and III bites — These are the kind of bites that break skin and carry a risk of rabies and are the most common. With children under 15 making up a big share of victims, the dangers go beyond the bite itself.'Children often get bitten on the face or arms, which makes rabies transmission risk higher. They also don't always know how to react to an aggressive dog, so they can't protect themselves as well as adults can," explains Dr. Aggarwal.The expert also says that there has been a gradual rise in cases, especially during the monsoon months, when stray dog activity peaks.RABIES: RARE, BUT DEADLYRabies is almost 100% fatal once symptoms appear, but also 100% preventable if you get treatment on time. Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus, which belongs to the Lyssavirus genus in the Rhabdoviridae family, that spreads through the bite or scratch of an infected animal, usually dogs.advertisementIt attacks the brain and nerves. Early symptoms can feel like the flu, with fever, headache, and weakness, but as the disease worsens, it can cause anxiety, confusion, difficulty swallowing, excessive saliva, hallucinations, and even paralysis.Once these symptoms appear, rabies is almost always fatal. The danger is in the delay of treatment.'We still see patients who come in late, or don't finish their vaccine schedule. That's extremely risky, because even one missed dose can mean the difference between life and death," says Dr. Aggarwal.For treatment, once you come in contact with an infected animal, there's an anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) and rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) that is administered depending on the category of the bite.HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELFWhether or not the Supreme Court order holds up against legal challenges, the health risks from dog bites, and rabies, remain very real.Here's what doctors say you should do:Seek medical care immediately after any bite, even if it looks small. Don't wait to see if it 'heals on its own.'advertisementWash the wound thoroughly with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes.Start the rabies vaccine schedule as soon as possible and complete every dose.Ask your doctor about RIG (rabies immunoglobulin) for high-risk bites, especially on the face, head, or neck. RIG should be injected directly into and around the wound for maximum effectiveness. RIG is most effective within 7 days of the first rabies vaccine dose. After this period, the vaccine itself produces enough antibodies, making RIG unnecessary.Teach children how to behave around dogs, avoid teasing, touching while eating, or approaching unknown dogs.THE BIGGER HEALTH PICTUREIndia's rabies burden is still among the highest in the world. Experts say that alongside legal and administrative measures, we need community-level vaccination drives for both humans and dogs, stronger public awareness campaigns, and better access to post-bite treatment in government facilities.Access to rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) in India still remains a challenge, especially in rural areas.Dr. Neha Rastogi Panda, Consultant-Infectious Diseases at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, pointed out, "Despite the availability of rabies vaccinations, RIG is expensive and often in short supply. Human rabies immunoglobulin (HRIG) is particularly costly, while equine rabies immunoglobulin (ERIG) is a cheaper alternative but still difficult to obtain."advertisement'The need of the hour is enhanced public awareness. People must know that rabies is preventable, but only if you act fast," adds Dr. Aggarwal.For now, Delhi waits to see whether the Supreme Court's order will lead to fewer dogs on the streets, and fewer bites in hospital emergency rooms.But until then, the best protection against rabies is still swift action, not wishful thinking.- EndsMust Watch