The Supreme Court, on August 11, directed the concerned authorities to remove all stray dogs from the Delhi NCR area and place them in shelters. As animal lovers protested, the Supreme Court modified its order, stating that sterilized and vaccinated dogs can return to their territories. Furthermore, aggressive pets and dogs with rabies will be kept in the shelter. The Court also banned the feeding of dogs on roads and public places, and directed municipal authorities to set up dedicated feeding centres in each ward.
Dog bite cases have been on the rise in India, and over 3.7 million incidents and 54 confirmed human rabies deaths were reported in 2024, according to the data compiled by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) under the National Rabies Control Programme. This has prompted authorities to address the threat posed by stray dogs by taking the above-mentioned steps.
Dr Narendra Gandhi, a renowned veterinary doctor, practicing for over 35 years in Delhi, feels the SC decision on stray dogs is ‘inhuman’ and says they are ‘harmless creatures’ that do not attack or bite without a reason. “There are a lot more people deserving of being put behind the bars, why bother the innocent creatures,” he told FinancialExpress.com in a telephonic conversation, on the occasion of International Dog Day (August 26).
Dr Gandhi says dogs are sensitive to environmental triggers and a change in their habitat. They may also misjudge people who approach them in the wrong way. When they attack, they are fearful of being harmed. The senior veterinary doctor says it’s possible to learn more about the canine companions by introducing a relevant curriculum in the school to prepare a more animal-sensitive generation in the coming times.
Why do dogs bite?
“Dogs bite out of self-defence, anxiety, or being under threat, to put it simply. People intimidate them by unnecessarily making strange sounds, at times with the intention of scaring dogs. Also, when they are removed from their territories and taken elsewhere, or someone enters their territory, they become anxious and may end up biting,” notes Dr Gandhi.
Dogs are profoundly impacted by their environment. Constant yelling, shouting, and loud sounds may overwhelm them, and disturb their calm, adds the expert.
Diseases that might make them aggressive
Rabies is the only disease that may affect a dog’s nervous system, causing progressive, fatal symptoms like severe behavioral changes, difficulty swallowing, excessive drooling, staggering, seizures, and paralysis. Dr Gandhi says, there is no other disease that may prompt a dog to bite others.
How approaching them incorrectly can lead to a bite
Dogs may not understand that a person is approaching them to assist them and may feel threatened. Being scared of predatory behaviour, they may behave aggressively. Reaching out to them suddenly and touching them wrongly can cause them to react and attack.
“Sometimes people want to help a dog, but they may feel they are going to harm them. Instead of understanding someone is there to assist them, they think they are going to take them away. They are scared of predatory behaviour,” says Dr Gandhi.
How to say hello to a dog: Dos and Don’ts
Don’t pet the dog in the head, they may get uncomfortable
Do allow pet to smell you and be comfortable around you
Do give them a treat, water, or bone to establish you wish well for them
Don’t challenge them and cut their path
The way forward
Dr Gandhi says there is a need to teach these things to people in school and university courses. He feels Indians are far more insensitive to dogs than their foreign counterparts.
“If you go abroad, it’s difficult to find a place where dogs are not allowed, here there are hardly any places where dogs are allowed. In fact, instead of sensitising children about treating dogs right, they are told to throw stones, not touch them, not give them food, and stay away from them,” says the vet, adding, there is a need to teach them (people) to be dog-friendly.
In India, ‘religious’ people feed roti to a ‘black dog’, but they can hardly be called dog lovers, as they aren’t doing it out of empathy, says Dr Gandhi.
