Stray gogs and public safety: A humane reform rooted in progress

Time of India

a day ago

India's approach to managing its stray dog population is evolving. With an estimated 20 million free-roaming dogs, the challenge is real—but so is the progress. The Supreme Court's recent suo motu cognizance of the issue, triggered by recent media reports, has reignited public discourse.
But this moment need not spiral into fear-driven policy. Instead, it can be a pivot toward scaling humane, evidence-based solutions already showing results.
The ABC Rules are Humane, Legal, and Working in Pockets: The Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023 mandate sterilisation, vaccination, and release of stray dogs back to their territories. This model is not just compassionate—it's scientifically validated and increasingly effective where implemented well.
In Mumbai, over 4.3 lakh dogs have been sterilised. The BMC claims a reduction in stray population from 95,172 to 90,757.
In Bengaluru, a study showed a 10% reduction in stray dog population, with a 20% increase in neutering rates.
In Nagpur, nearly 40,000 dogs were sterilised in just 21 months, averaging 64 procedures per day.
These figures show that ABC works when done right—with trained personnel, infrastructure, and community support.
Why culling is a step backward: calls for culling often arise from frustration, but evidence shows it's counterproductive:
Removing dogs creates a vacuum effect, inviting unvaccinated, unsterilised dogs to migrate in.
Sterilised dogs guard their territory, preventing new entrants and stabilizing populations.
Rabies transmission is reduced when vaccinated dogs remain in their habitat.
India's legal framework already permits euthanasia for terminally ill or dangerous dogs, but expanding this definition risks legal misuse and ethical violations.
Implementation gaps still exist: Despite success stories, challenges remain:
Many municipalities lack trained staff and shelter infrastructure.
Funding for ABC programs has declined since 2021.
In slum areas, sterilisation efforts are often under-addressed, skewing data and outcomes.
But these are fixable problems, not reasons to abandon humane policy.
Global models reinforce India's path: Countries like Thailand, Bhutan, and the Netherlands have shown that neuter-vaccinate-return strategies can eliminate rabies and reduce stray populations—without culling.
Bhutan achieved 100% street dog sterilisation and vaccination in 14 years.
The Netherlands eliminated stray dogs through government-funded CNVR programs, strict anti-abandonment laws, and adoption incentives.
India's ABC rules align with these models—it's time to scale them, not sideline them.
A call for humane acceleration: The Supreme Court's intervention should be a catalyst for reform, not regression. A humane roadmap includes:
Mobile sterilisation units in high-incidence zones
Mandatory dog census and vaccination audits
Public education to reduce fear and promote coexistence
Community adoption and feeding protocols
Reinstated central funding and performance-linked grants
Reframing the Narrative: This isn't a runaway crisis—it's a governance challenge with proven solutions. Let's shift the conversation from fear to fact-based optimism, and from conflict to compassionate reform.