Stray Dogs Menace in India – Misplaced Priorities

In a response to a question in Parliament it was shared that according to the National Centre for Disease Control ( NCDC) India has recorded 3,71,73,366 Dog Bite cases and 54 suspected human rabies deaths in 2024. This is preposterous! While most countries have moved towards a Polio, Small Pox and Rabies free world, India seems to be deliberately moving towards rabies and dog bites. And the reported numbers in India, may well be off the mark. Many cases, especially in the rural areas, do not even get reported. There is simply no effective mechanism to add the numbers to the official count. NewsIP, has in its campaign pointed out the issue of stray dog bites and rabies in most cities and villages in India. ( Kindly see the articles given with links below). In fact, it highlighted that posh colonies in big cities, having multistoried flats and lifts were ideal hunting grounds for strays and pet dogs which attack children, elders, joggers and residents. The menace reached such a proportion that the municipal authorities,in many cities, were forced to ban owning of aggressive dog breeds as pets. Even in rare cases, repeated bites made authorities to put down the erring pets with a warning to owners. But these are miniscule in numbers. Most Indians are aware that municipal and civic laws are disregarded with impunity. The neo rich consider owning dogs a status symbol while other sections of society tend to copy them. A bizarre socialization process which sometimes cuts off life or scars the common man for life. Of course there are some, so-called animal lovers, in high places, who seem to gloss over this ominous menace of dogs. It has become fashionable, especially amongst the young in India to pet strays and feed them not realising the long term negative consequences. The road side eating houses, thelas and dhabas also feed the strays the leftover food which these dogs start expecting as their due and get extremely aggressive if food is denied to them by anyone. No pedestrian, bicyclist, scooterist or mobike rider in any city, is free from attack by strays after dark. After all why has the menace attained this giant proportion today. The Social Media is certainly to blame. It’s considered chic and modern to be an animal lover. But more importantly is the misinformed Indian view of _Sarva Santu Niramaya_ . But humans can do well for animals only if they themselves survive! Remember the menace USA is facing with Pythons of Everglades, Florida? Or the Culling of Elephants in Zimbabwe and South Africa? Well these governments have realised human lives count. It’s also good for the animals themselves. India is still trying its best to move towards economic betterment and into the league of developed nations. But in many International Arrival Halls of Airports, what to speak of Railway Stations and Bus Stands, travellers are welcomed by strays. India can scarcely afford to get its efforts hijacked by misplaced whims and fancies of pseudo animal lovers. https://www.newsip.in/delhi-high-court-takes-cognizance-of-dog-menace/ https://www.newsip.in/stray-dog-menace-raises-its-ugly-head-one-again-this-time-in-andhra-pradesh/ https://www.newsip.in/the-continuing-saga-of-stray-dogs-menace-in-indian-cities/