82% of human-street dog encounters in India ‘peaceful’: Study

Stray dogs: Human-street dog interactions in India are predominantly uneventful with 82 per cent of observed encounters involving approachable or neutral behaviour, according to a research on street dogs and public health by the University of Edinburgh.

Data from the research show that only 2 per cent of human-street dog interactions involved aggression such as barking, chasing, or biting.

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The findings assume significance as the Supreme Court on Monday ordered the removal of stray dogs from all Delhi-NCR localities and their placement in shelter homes in view of rising dog bites and rabies cases.

The study led by professor Krithika Srinivasan warned that culling or mass removal could undo hard-won public health gains.

Reported human rabies cases in India have fallen by nearly 75 per cent over the past two decades, from 274 in 2005 to 34 in 2022, largely due to mass dog vaccination and improved post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).

However, gaps in timely PEP access and adherence to vaccine schedules remain an issue.

Srinivasan also warned that culling or mass removal often backfires, triggering an influx of unfamiliar dogs into vacated areas and creating ecological gaps that may be filled by other potentially dangerous animals.

In a 2022–23 survey across 15 states, dog bite incidence was recorded at 4.7 per 1,000 population, lower than the 18.7 per 1,000 seen in Cheshire, the UK.

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Public opinion surveys in Chennai, Jaipur and Malappuram (Kerala) found 86 per cent support for dog vaccination and 66 per cent for neutering, while more than 70 per cent opposed culling.

The opposition rose to 77 per cent among respondents who had been chased or bitten by stray dogs.

The research recommended a science-led, community-based approach — universal and free PEP, sustained vaccination drives, food waste control, community education, and responsible caregiving — warning that elimination policies may appear to be a quick fix but fail to deliver sustainable safety outcomes.