Is India in the grip of a ‘stray dog’ crisis?
The recent demise of Gujarat’s business magnate, Parag Desai, in Ahmedabad, has ignited fervent discussions regarding India’s relentless struggle with its stray canine population. Mr. Desai met a tragic fate during his morning stroll as he was pursued by a pack of feral dogs. This harrowing encounter led to severe head injuries, culminating in a fatal brain hemorrhage several days later. Alarming reports of fatal dog attacks continuously flood in from various corners of the nation, each more gruesome than the last.
The statistics pertaining to these fatalities are staggering and speak volumes for themselves. Between 2019 and 2022 (according to parliamentary data up to November 2022), India recorded an astonishing 16 million instances of stray dog bites, averaging over 10,000 cases daily. The National Rabies Control Programme documented 6,644 clinically suspected cases of human rabies and associated deaths between 2012 and 2022. Notably, during the period from January to October 2022, Kerala and Punjab each reported over 10,000 cases, while Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Kashmir collectively reported between 1,000 and 10,000 cases. In 2019 alone, Ahmedabad bore witness to approximately 200 dog bites daily.
These figures cast a disparaging light on India’s aspiration to be a developed nation. While developed countries have managed to control their stray dog conundrums, what impedes our progress?
In India, the removal of stray dogs from the streets is illegal, and they cannot be forcibly relocated. These animals persist on the thoroughfares until they are adopted, a rarity in itself. This fosters a fertile breeding ground for the problem to flourish. Despite the introduction of the Animal Birth Control Program in 2001, a government initiative aimed at curbing the stray dog population through sterilization and vaccination, the program has floundered due to issues like insufficient funding, resource scarcity, corruption, and inadequate inter-agency coordination.
Meet Ashar, Cruelty Case Division Legal Advisor and Manager at PETA India, asserts, “According to the Animal Birth Control Rules of 2023, municipal bodies bear the responsibility of executing an effective dog sterilization program. Sterilization, a straightforward surgical procedure that curtails births, has been mandated for 22 years. Previously stipulated under the Animal Birth Control (Dog) Rules of 2001, this requirement now falls under the Animal Birth Control Rules of 2023. If all municipalities had diligently adhered to this lawful obligation, our streets would hardly be overrun by dogs today.”
India shares a complex relationship with its stray canine population. While many individuals generously feed these strays as an act of compassion, there is an escalating toll of human lives lost to dog attacks. The improper disposal of waste in open areas occasionally attracts stray dogs, leaving them hungry or only partially satiated, exacerbating their aggression. The absence of efficient waste management systems to address litter strewn on the streets further compounds this problem.
Curiously, the pandemic seems to have exacerbated the feral nature of the stray dog population. Animal experts posit that, post-pandemic, these strays have become more aggressive due to food scarcity, the abandonment of pets, and a reduction in human-dog interactions. The act of feeding multiple dogs in the same vicinity intensifies territorial disputes, necessitating that those who provide sustenance to these strays also ensure their vaccination.
Horrifying videos of dog attacks often go viral on social media, sparking calls for decisive action to mitigate this menace. Instances abound of clashes between ardent animal lovers and those who oppose their activities in public spaces.
A tweet by senior IPS officer Arun Bothra in the aftermath of the Parag Desai incident drew both support and outrage. He advised, “Carry a stick when embarking on morning walks to safeguard against stray dogs. If there are dog-loving activists in your vicinity, carry an even larger stick.”
In response to the backlash, he clarified, “I do not advocate violence in any way. My only concern is the prevention of dog attacks. When people venture out for a walk, they are compelled to carry a stick for self-defense. Their intention is not to harm the dogs. Dog-loving activists must acknowledge that stray dogs pose a problem.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), India accounts for 36% of the world’s rabies-related fatalities. Mr. Bothra remarked, “The majority of those bitten by strays, particularly children and the elderly, come from low-income backgrounds and cannot afford costly rabies vaccinations. It is a tragic predicament. The fact that so many people supported the tweet demonstrates that they, too, contend with the menace posed by strays.”
Recently, the Supreme Court addressed the necessity of a sustainable and compassionate solution to the human-stray dog conflict in Kerala. In response to the Kerala government’s proposition to cull “aggressive and rabid” dogs, animal advocates argued that it is imperative to tackle the root causes of the issue.
Mr. Ashar elucidates, “Sterilization and support for individuals who feed and nurture stray dogs, fostering trust and amicability, represent the sole humane, legal, and effective avenues for alleviating India’s stray animal crisis.”
He also highlights that an unaltered dog and its offspring can yield a staggering 67,000 puppies within six years. “A robust and efficient sterilization program can mitigate this, as sterilized dogs are surgically neutered and then returned to the same location from whence they were taken, considering the territorial nature of dogs. Sterilized dogs also receive rabies vaccinations.”
However, insiders contend that stray dogs are often returned to the streets without receiving vaccinations, and their identification marks (ear-piercing) are applied without the necessary procedures being executed, casting doubt on the efficacy of such programs.
Much like various facets of public service, animal control is plagued not by a dearth of policies but rather by the inefficient execution of sterilization programs. This inefficiency perpetuates the issue of stray dog overpopulation in our country. With each fatal dog attack, there is public outcry, yet those tasked with managing the problem repeatedly fail to shoulder their responsibility.
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