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The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Shelter or vaccinate? Before deciding, India must count its stray dogs accurately
On August 11, the Supreme Court directed the Delhi government and local bodies to immediately capture stray dogs and put them in shelters. The Court was hearing a suo motu case on the increasing instances of stray dog attacks on children, including infants. The Court said, 'Not a single dog picked up shall be released back on the streets/public spaces.' The order has divided public opinion. While some people agree with it given the extent of the problem of dog bites, others have questioned the effectiveness of simply relocating dogs to shelters, pointing out that Delhi lacks shelters to keep so many dogs. Whether or not India has a stray dog problem, it certainly has a dog-counting problem. Getting that right could be key to making any policy, whether it is confining dogs or vaccinating them, effective. The most recent nationwide stray dog count is the Livestock Census of 2019. In fact, reports show that the Delhi-specific dog census was conducted even earlier, in 2016. So, in 2025, policies are being framed using estimates of the dog population based on an outdated censuses. More importantly, an analysis of the 2019 Census itself raises several questions. Take the case of Tamil Nadu. In 2019, there were 4.4 lakh stray dogs in the State. In the same year, according to data from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Platform, Tamil Nadu recorded 8.3 lakh dog bites. The chart below shows the number of dog bites and stray dogs in each State in 2019 In other words, that year, there were two dog bites for every stray dog in the State. Even allowing for the possibility of the same dog biting multiple people, the number of dog bites remains staggeringly high compared to the estimated dog population. In the case of Manipur, the 2019 Livestock Census recorded no stray dogs in the State. That data point alone is hard to fathom. Yet, that same year, Manipur reported around 5,500 dog bite cases. In Odisha, there were 17.3 lakh dogs in 2019. Odisha housed the second highest number of dogs among all the States. Yet, there were only 1.7 lakh bites that year in Odisha. If the data is correct, then States such as Tamil Nadu — which suffer 'severely' from dog bites with nearly 1,900 bites for every 1,000 dogs, as shown in the chart below — could learn from States such as Odisha, which report only about 100 bites per 1,000 dogs. The chart shows the number of dog bites for every 1,000 stray dogs in each State in 2019 Such knowledge-sharing could help address the crisis. The fact that this has not happened clearly points to a data mismatch rather than ground reality. Since all dog bites will be reported by the victims due to fear of rabies, and since hospitals are required to record these cases, the data mismatch likely lies in dog population figures. With the World Health Organization (WHO) estimating that 99% of human rabies cases are caused by the bite of infected dogs, India's National Action Plan for Dog-Mediated Rabies Elimination by 2030 had proposed strategic mass dog vaccination as the way forward in 2018. The plan had stated that vaccinating 70% of dogs and sustaining the effort for three years can eliminate rabies. The WHO also recognises this as a cost-effective strategy. Evidence from a data-driven rabies elimination programme in Goa, published in the journal Nature, showed that vaccinating 70% of the State's dogs eliminated human rabies cases by 2019 and reduced monthly canine rabies cases by 92%. The chart below shows the results from a data-driven rabies elimination programme in Goa show that vaccinating dogs helps reduce human rabies cases In fact, Goa recorded the highest number of dog bites per capita in 2019. As can be seen from chart below, there were 1,412 dog bites for every 1 lakh people in Goa in 2019, the highest among all the States. The chart shows the number of stray dogs and dog bites for every 1 lakh people in each State in 2019 The data for the charts were sourced from the Livestock Census-2019, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Some of the datasets were accessed through Dataful developed by Factly
GMA Network
5 days ago
- Health
- GMA Network
Indian top court orders roundup of stray dogs in Delhi
NEW DELHI, India - India's Supreme Court on Monday ordered the removal of tens of thousands of stray dogs from the capital, citing public safety concerns after a surge in dog bites. India is home to millions of stray dogs and deadly attacks, particularly on children and the elderly, are regularly reported by the city's media. At least 60,000 stray dogs live on the streets of Delhi, according to India's Livestock Census of 2012, the most recent data available. Some suggest that number to be now far higher, with large rival dog packs patrolling parks and residential neighborhoods across the city. The country accounts for more than a third of global rabies deaths, according to the World Health Organization, a crisis exacerbated by a lack of sterilization programs and legal restrictions on canine culling. The court asked city authorities to set up dog shelters within eight weeks, and maintain daily records of the canines captured. "What is important, and without which the entire exercise would go futile, not a single stray dog should be released," it said, which applies to Delhi and its satellite suburbs, a megacity home to some 30 million people. The court warned of action against animal activists who obstruct the removal of dogs. It also ordered a 24-hour helpline to be set up to report dog bites and officials must publicise locations where anti-rabies vaccines are available. Data tabled in the Indian parliament showed more than 3.7 million cases of dog bites and 54 suspected human deaths from rabies in 2024. Other estimates peg the number to be nearly twice as high, with Delhi alone accounting for roughly 2,000 cases of dog bites every day. In middle class neighborhoods, many of Delhi's strays are beloved by their residents despite lacking formal owners, with some dogs clothed in special canine jackets to keep warm during the winter. But they are also a hazard to humans, with Indian media regularly reporting on the mauling of young children by aggressive dog packs. — Agence France-Presse
France 24
6 days ago
- France 24
Indian top court orders roundup of stray dogs in Delhi
India is home to millions of stray dogs and deadly attacks, particularly on children and the elderly, are regularly reported by the city's media. At least 60,000 stray dogs live on the streets of Delhi, according to India's Livestock Census of 2012, the most recent data available. Some suggest that number to be now far higher, with large rival dog packs patrolling parks and residential neighbourhoods across the city. The country accounts for more than a third of global rabies deaths, according to the World Health Organization, a crisis exacerbated by a lack of sterilisation programmes and legal restrictions on canine culling. The court asked city authorities to set up dog shelters within eight weeks, and maintain daily records of the canines captured. "What is important, and without which the entire exercise would go futile, not a single stray dog should be released," it said, which applies to Delhi and its satellite suburbs, a megacity home to some 30 million people. The court warned of action against animal activists who obstruct the removal of dogs. It also ordered a 24-hour helpline to be set up to report dog bites and officials must publicise locations where anti-rabies vaccines are available. Data tabled in the Indian parliament showed more than 3.7 million cases of dog bites and 54 suspected human deaths from rabies in 2024. Other estimates peg the number to be nearly twice as high, with Delhi alone accounting for roughly 2,000 cases of dog bites every day. In middle class neighbourhoods, many of Delhi's strays are beloved by their residents despite lacking formal owners, with some dogs clothed in special canine jackets to keep warm during the winter. But they are also a hazard to humans, with Indian media regularly reporting on the mauling of young children by aggressive dog packs.
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Indian top court orders round-up of tens of thousands of stray dogs in Delhi
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Data presented in India's Parliament showed more than 3.7 million cases of dog bites and 54 suspected human deaths from rabies in 2024. NEW DELHI – India's Supreme Court on Aug 11 ordered the removal of tens of thousands of stray dogs from the capital, citing public safety concerns after a surge in dog bites. India is home to millions of stray dogs, and deadly attacks – particularly on children and the elderly – are regularly reported by Delhi's media. At least 60,000 stray dogs live on the streets of Delhi, according to India's Livestock Census of 2012, the most recent data available. Some suggest that number to be now far higher, with large rival dog packs patrolling parks and residential neighbourhoods across the city. The country accounts for more than a third of global rabies deaths, according to the World Health Organisation, a crisis exacerbated by a lack of sterilisation programmes and legal restrictions on canine culling. The court asked the city authorities to set up dog shelters within eight weeks, and maintain daily records of the canines captured. 'What is important, and without which the entire exercise would (be) futile – not a single stray dog should be released,' it said. This applies to Delhi and its satellite suburbs, a megacity home to some 30 million people. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Keppel to sell M1's telco business to Simba for $1.43b, says deal expected to benefit consumers Business Singtel, StarHub shares fall after announcement of Keppel's M1 sale Singapore ST Explains: Who owns Simba, the company that is buying M1? Business Lower-wage retail workers to receive up to 6% pay bump from Sept 1 Singapore PM Wong's National Day Rally to begin at 6.45pm on Aug 17 Singapore ST Explains: What is Vers and which HDB estates could the scheme be rolled out in? Singapore Hyflux sought other funding sources for Tuaspring as it had problems getting bank loans: Prosecution Opinion Trump's trade deals have one giant contradiction The court warned of action against animal activists who obstruct the removal of dogs. It also ordered a 24-hour helpline to be set up to report dog bites and officials must publicise locations where anti-rabies vaccines are available. Data tabled in the Indian Parliament showed more than 3.7 million cases of dog bites and 54 suspected human deaths from rabies in 2024. Other estimates peg the number to be nearly twice as high, with Delhi alone accounting for roughly 2,000 cases of dog bites every day. In middle class neighbourhoods, many of Delhi's strays are beloved by their residents despite lacking formal owners, with some dogs clothed in special canine jackets to keep warm during the winter. But they are also a hazard to humans, with the Indian media regularly reporting on the mauling of young children by aggressive dog packs. AFP
