Survey: 71% say dog attacks common, call for Swachh Bharat-style mission to tackle menace

Hyderabad: Most harrowing pieces of media online include videos of stray/pet dogs attacking people as much as the same animals being stoned or kicked by humans.

Recently, the debate over whose safety and well-being comes first has reached a peak, with even people attacking people who come to the defence of the animals.

According to a survey by LocalCircles, 71 per cent of citizens surveyed say attacks by stray/pet dogs are common in their area/district/city. They demanded a Central Government mission on the lines of Swachh Bharat to get rid of the issue.

What does the government data say about dog attacks?

A total of 26,99,850 animal bite cases were registered across the country in 2024, out of which around 20 per cent of victims are children below 15 years, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh Alias Lalan Singh, informed Lok Sabha in February. Out of the total, around 22 lakhs were dog bite cases. The animal bites resulted in 48 deaths.

The large number of animal biting cases shows that India is far away from its target to achieve a rabies-free India by 2030, as announced by the government last year.

Children and elderly most vulnerable

Although very often, news of children being mauled by stray dogs in different parts of the country is reported, no serious effort is being made by local authorities to address the menace. The menace of stray dogs often comes into the spotlight only after people get attacked, particularly small children and the elderly.

It is not only stray dogs but also pet dogs that have been reported to have attacked people. Despite several civic authorities imposing fines on owners of pets attacking people, the problem shows no sign of being tackled humanely. People who face the menace of ferocious stray dogs, who by law are not allowed to be displaced, though they can be neutered, rightfully protest, but there appears to be no one to heed them.

71% of citizens say attacks by stray dogs and pet dogs are common for them

The LocalCircles survey asked, “Are attacks by stray and/or pet dogs on citizens an issue in your area/district/city?” The question received 12,985 responses with 55 per cent stating, “Yes, attacks by stray dogs are common”; 3 per cent of respondents stating “Yes, attacks by pet dogs are common”; 13 per cent of respondents stating “Yes, attacks by both stray dogs and pet dogs are common”; 24 per cent of respondents stating “No, such attacks by both stray and pet dogs are non-existent or rare” and 5 per cent of respondents did not give a clear response.

To sum up, 71 per cent of citizens surveyed say attacks by stray dogs and pet dogs are common in their area/district/city.

People want government funding for stray animal shelters

When asked ‘What are all the actions that the government of India must take to improve stray animal management in the country?’ some among the 11,445 who responded to this query indicated more than one option with the largest group of 53 per cent indicating that there is need to ‘enable funding for all municipalities and panchayats for stray animal management infrastructure and operations.’

Among the other options, 47 per cent of respondents indicated ‘create specific rules on permissible feeding of stray animals and what is non-permissible’; 39 per cent indicated ‘create a stray animal welfare mission and allocated funds to it’; 32 per cent of respondents favour the idea of ‘encouraging CSR funding to flow into stray animal welfare projects’; 24 per cent indicated ‘create a ministry for stray animal welfare with necessary resources’; and 13 per cent of the respondents indicated ‘other things’.

Just getting stray animals out of big cities is no longer a solution, as growing towns and cities also need to be free of this increasing problem, as do villages. Cases of dog bites in small towns, cities and villages, which have become dumping grounds for city waste, are creating more problems locally without adding stray animal issues.

Extent of survey

The LocalCircles survey received over 11,000 responses from citizens in 362 districts of India. As many as 67 per cent of respondents were men, while 33 per cent of respondents were women; 47 per cent of respondents were from tier 1, 32 per cent from tier 2 and 21 per cent of respondents were from tier 3, 4 and rural districts.