What's Delhi's dog-bite reality that has alarmed the Supreme Court too

"My parents have stopped going for walks outside society due to aggressive dog gangs," a Delhi resident recently posted on social media, thanking the Supreme Court for stepping in after reports of a disturbing surge in rabies cases and deaths in the national capital.

On July 28, the Supreme Court termed the rising number of dog-bite cases and deaths as "deeply disturbing", especially among children and the elderly. The bench, led by Justice JB Pardiwala, cited a recent Times of India report titled 'City hounded by strays, kids pay price', which documented the increasing menace of stray dogs and the failure of civic authorities to get the crisis under control.

The concern gained urgency after the death of a six-year-old girl, Chavi, after a dog attack.

She was on her way to her aunt's house when a stray dog attacked her, biting her repeatedly on her leg, arm and palm.

Despite being taken to multiple hospitals for treatment, her condition deteriorated. Less than a month later, she passed away. Her family recalls that she had started attending school just two days before the incident.

Calling it a matter that required immediate judicial intervention, Justice Pardiwala remarked, "This is the first matter we should take up on the first day of the week."

Taking suo motu cognisance, the Supreme Court ordered its registry to register a public interest writ petition under its own motion and directed that it be placed before Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai for further orders and directions.

The threat posed by stray dogs is not just in Delhi. In cities like Bengaluru and Srinagar too, dog attacks have spread fear and panic.

WHY DOG BITES CAN BE DANGEROUS

Dog bites can be dangerous for two main reasons: the physical trauma they cause and the risk of infection.

Even a small bite can tear skin, injure muscles or nerves, and lead to bacterial infections if not treated properly. But it is the threat of rabies that makes the situation far more alarming.

Rabies is a viral disease that attacks the brain and nervous system.

Once symptoms appear, it is almost always fatal. The virus spreads through the saliva of an infected animal, usually via a bite. Because of this, doctors recommend immediate wound cleaning and post-exposure vaccination even in seemingly minor cases.

Rabies killed approximately 5,700 people in India in 2022-23, according to a Lancet study.

SCALE OF DANGER: DATA ON DOG BITES IN DELHI

The scale of the crisis is stark in the numbers. Data from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) shows that dog bite cases in Delhi rose from 6,691 in 2022 to 17,874 in 2023, and further to 25,210 in 2024. That's an overall increase of nearly 277% in just two years.

The surge continues into 2025, with 3,196 cases reported in January alone.

Hospitals have been overwhelmed.

According to data cited by The Indian Express, Safdarjung Hospital, one of the largest government-run centres, reported 63,361 dog bite cases in 2021. By July 2025, the number had already climbed to 91,009, surpassing the earlier annual figures by 43.6%.

At Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital, the cases rose from 39,216 between April 2022 and March 2023 to 45,432 between April 2023 and March 2025, marking a 13% increase.

The MCD-run Bara Hindu Rao Hospital also saw a spike, with 4,861 cases till July this year, 40% higher than the 3,468 cases recorded in the same period last year.

The problem is not limited to Delhi. In neighbouring Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar district, which borders the capital, 74,550 animal bite incidents, including both stray and pet-related cases, were recorded between January and May this year alone.

HOW ARE AUTHORITIES TACKLING THE DOG BITE DANGER?

Authorities are attempting to respond.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), along with the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAHD), has rolled out the National Action Plan for Dog-Mediated Rabies Elimination (NAPRE), with the goal of eliminating rabies by 2030.

In Delhi, the Municipal Corporation has been working with NGOs and veterinary professionals to sterilise and vaccinate stray dogs under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme.

Between late 2022 and early 2024, over 1 lakh sterilisation procedures were carried out, against an annual target of 80,000-90,000.

The long-term aim is to achieve 70-80% sterilisation coverage in each ward, but progress remains uneven, with only some wards meeting the target.

For citizens, the MCD-311 app and the helpline number 155305 have been made available to report stray dog issues and request sterilisation drives. To build public trust, the system allows residents to receive updates and even photos of the dogs once action has been taken.

The situation of stray dogs and attacks by them in Delhi are scary. With the civic authorities sleeping and people panicking, it is the Supreme Court that had to ultimately step in.

- Ends