The Supreme Court’s recent directive on stray dogs has triggered widespread debate across India, dividing opinions. While some applaud the court’s decision, others, notably dog lovers, are critical, opposing the relocation of these animals to shelters. Simultaneously, many individuals are concerned about the increasing instances of stray dog attacks, as evidenced by alarming statistics accumulated in recent years. This raises the core question: What factors contribute to the growing aggression in stray dogs?
**Estimates of Stray Dog Population in India**
Figures on the stray dog population in India vary across different reports. A 2019 report from the Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Dairying indicates over 16 million stray dogs. In contrast, the Pet Homelessness Index of India, published last year, estimates the figure to be around 62 million.
**Alarming Statistics on Dog Bites**
The incidence of dog bites has noticeably escalated in recent years. According to the Pet Homelessness Index of India, around 3.7 million dog bite cases were reported across the country in 2024, with the majority occurring in rural areas. The number of deaths attributed to these incidents reached 54, with the majority resulting from rabies.
In 2022 and 2023, the numbers were approximately 2.2 million and 2.3 million, respectively. This year, the count had reached 430,000 by January, as disclosed by the central government in April. A total of 37 fatalities were linked to stray dog bites this year. The average number of dog bite incidents over the past four years has been approximately 2.3 million annually.
This equates to an average of 6369 individuals becoming victims of dog bites each day. The Delhi-NCR region alone is home to roughly 800,000 stray dogs, with more than 25,000 dog bite cases reported during the past year.
**Reasons Behind Increased Aggression in Stray Dogs**
The increased aggression in stray dogs can be attributed to a variety of factors. There has been a surge in reports of stray dog attacks in major metropolitan areas like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai. One of the primary causes for this heightened aggression in these regions is the food scarcity experienced by the dogs during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, which led to increased hostility. Other significant factors include:
* Food scarcity leads to aggressive tendencies. Lack of regular meals leads to increased stress and irritability.
* Dogs may exhibit aggressive behaviors during breeding periods to protect themselves.
* Unintentional provocation by children or unfamiliar individuals can trigger attacks.
* Dogs can become aggressive when encountering unfamiliar individuals or other animals in their territory.
* Actions such as throwing stones, striking dogs with sticks, or intentionally frightening them can induce fear and aggression.
* Illnesses and injuries also have the potential to make dogs irritable and aggressive.
**Rabies-Related Fatalities**
The WHO indicates that roughly 20,000 people succumb to rabies annually in India. More than 95% of these cases are associated with bites from stray dogs, leading to an average of 54-55 deaths daily due to rabies. The statistics provided encompass only rabies-related deaths. While injuries resulting from stray dog attacks are frequent, fatalities, excluding those due to rabies, are relatively less common.
**Supreme Court Order and Resulting Controversy**
On August 11, the Supreme Court issued an order directing the removal of all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR from the streets and their relocation to shelter homes within a timeframe of 6-8 weeks. This decision has sparked significant controversy nationwide. Numerous petitions have been filed against the Supreme Court’s order, seeking a stay on its implementation. Subsequent hearings were held on August 14, yet the bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria, declined to halt the order’s execution while reserving their final decision. The Supreme Court is scheduled to announce its final verdict on August 22.
