'Should be unacceptable for local, state govt’: Analyst flags stray dog menace as India reports 3.7 million dog bites in 2024
His remark came in response to a post by Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram, Member of Parliament from Sivaganga, who shared data released by the Centre in response to a parliamentary question.
- Jul 23, 2025,
- Updated Jul 23, 2025 1:20 PM IST
Strategic affairs expert Sushant Sareen on Tuesday called the growing stray dog menace a serious civic issue, stating that “localities are becoming unliveable” and everyday activities such as walking to a local market have become hazardous due to packs of stray dogs.
Posting on X, Sareen wrote, “At least one MP is raising a serious issue. Our localities are becoming unliveable because of this stray dog menace. Going for a walk even to a local market has become impossible because of packs of strays. 3.7 million dog bites should be unacceptable for any local or state government.”
His remark came in response to a post by Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram, Member of Parliament from Sivaganga, who shared data released by the Centre in response to a parliamentary question. 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 so far.
“We can’t ignore this any more! #Streetdogs,” Chidambaram posted, drawing public attention to the urgent need for intervention at both state and local levels.
The exchange prompted renewed debate on X, with users raising concerns over delayed municipal action, weak implementation of sterilisation and vaccination programmes, and risks to vulnerable groups, especially children and senior citizens.
With over 3.7 million bite cases officially recorded this year alone, calls are mounting for a coordinated policy response involving civic bodies, public health departments and animal welfare agencies. Sareen’s post has also reignited discussion on the balance between humane treatment of animals and the urgent need for ensuring citizen safety in public spaces.
In recent months, a spate of deaths linked to dog bites has reignited public concern over the stray dog crisis in India. On 28 June, 22-year-old kabaddi player Brijesh Solanki from Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr died of rabies after being bitten by a stray puppy he had rescued. In Kerala’s Kasaragod, 7-year-old M.K. Anand died despite receiving rabies vaccinations in May, after a rabid dog bit him on the face and hand. In Bareilly, a seven-year-old boy was fatally mauled by a pack of dogs while playing outside in April this year.
Strategic affairs expert Sushant Sareen on Tuesday called the growing stray dog menace a serious civic issue, stating that “localities are becoming unliveable” and everyday activities such as walking to a local market have become hazardous due to packs of stray dogs.
Posting on X, Sareen wrote, “At least one MP is raising a serious issue. Our localities are becoming unliveable because of this stray dog menace. Going for a walk even to a local market has become impossible because of packs of strays. 3.7 million dog bites should be unacceptable for any local or state government.”
His remark came in response to a post by Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram, Member of Parliament from Sivaganga, who shared data released by the Centre in response to a parliamentary question. 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 so far.
“We can’t ignore this any more! #Streetdogs,” Chidambaram posted, drawing public attention to the urgent need for intervention at both state and local levels.
The exchange prompted renewed debate on X, with users raising concerns over delayed municipal action, weak implementation of sterilisation and vaccination programmes, and risks to vulnerable groups, especially children and senior citizens.
With over 3.7 million bite cases officially recorded this year alone, calls are mounting for a coordinated policy response involving civic bodies, public health departments and animal welfare agencies. Sareen’s post has also reignited discussion on the balance between humane treatment of animals and the urgent need for ensuring citizen safety in public spaces.
In recent months, a spate of deaths linked to dog bites has reignited public concern over the stray dog crisis in India. On 28 June, 22-year-old kabaddi player Brijesh Solanki from Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr died of rabies after being bitten by a stray puppy he had rescued. In Kerala’s Kasaragod, 7-year-old M.K. Anand died despite receiving rabies vaccinations in May, after a rabid dog bit him on the face and hand. In Bareilly, a seven-year-old boy was fatally mauled by a pack of dogs while playing outside in April this year.