Over 2 Lakh Dog Bite Cases In Tamil Nadu And Karnataka In 2026: Supreme Court Flags “Alarming” Dog Bite Statistics Across India

Highlighting reports of dog bite incidents from across the country, the Supreme Court said that the magnitude of the stray dog problem and the resultant threat to public safety had assumed disturbing proportions.

In the judgment passed on May 19, affirming the earlier directions to remove stray dogs from institutional premises and public places, the Court observed :

“After reserving judgment in the present matter, this Court has been apprised of multiple reports indicating that incidents of dog bites and stray dog attacks continue to occur across different parts of the country with alarming frequency and severity. The reports brought to the notice of this Court reveal that the magnitude of the problem and the resultant threat posed to public safety has assumed deeply disturbing proportions. The incidents disclosed are not isolated or sporadic occurrences, but reflect a continuing and widespread pattern of attacks resulting in severe physical injury, psychological trauma and, in several cases, loss of human life. It is clear that the unchecked population of dogs has become increasingly feral, and such animals have no place in areas densely populated by human beings owing to the serious threat they pose to public safety,” the Court further observed.

A bench of Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice NV Anjaria criticised Union and State governments, observing that they failed to build adequate infrastructure for stray dog management despite the Animal Birth Control framework having existed since 2001.

The Court observed that the failure to adopt a proactive approach had resulted in a reactive, crisis-driven response.

“The failure to adopt such a proactive, structured and sustained approach has, therefore, resulted in a largely reactive and crisis-driven response, necessitated by the escalation of the problem rather than its prevention. Such an approach is neither efficient nor capable of yielding durable solutions, particularly in a matter involving public health, human safety and ecological balance. This Court is, therefore, constrained to observe that the prolonged inaction, coupled with the absence of institutional commitment to the effective implementation of the Animal Birth Control framework, has contributed significantly to the persistence as well as the aggravation of the problem, which has now assumed dimensions warranting urgent and systemic intervention”, the Court observed.

The Court said that the present situation was a result of prolonged institutional inaction and lack of sustained implementation.

“A bare examination of the compliance affidavits reveals a pervasive and deeply concerning pattern across several States and Union Territories, namely, the glaring inadequacy of infrastructural capacity to effectively respond to a situation of such unprecedented magnitude”, the Court observed.

The Court said that reports placed before it after reserving judgment showed that dog bite incidents and stray dog attacks continued across the country with alarming frequency and severity.

The Court referred to a newspaper report from Rajasthan stating that 1,840 dog bite incidents were reported in Sri Ganganagar within three months. It also noted reports of stray dog attacks on children in Sikar during the same period.

In Udaipur, the Court noted that around 1,750 dog bite cases had been recorded in 2026 till publication of the report. Bhilwara reportedly witnessed 42 persons being bitten by stray dogs in a single day. The Court further referred to incidents where young children suffered grievous injuries, including mauling of the face and limbs by stray dogs.

The Court opined that the situation in other States was even more alarming. Referring to Tamil Nadu, the Court noted that approximately 2.63 lakh dog bite cases and 17 deaths were recorded in the first four months of 2026 alone.

The Court noted that nearly 62,000 dog bite cases were reported in January and February 2026 each, around 71,000 in March and approximately 68,000 in April. It observed that these figures already constituted a substantial proportion of the 6.25 lakh dog bite cases and 34 deaths recorded in Tamil Nadu during the entirety of the previous year.

The Court also relied on reports concerning the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, where airport authorities allegedly acknowledged at least 31 dog bite incidents across airport terminals since January 1, 2026.

The Court referred to allegations of aggressive stray dogs within airport premises and attempts by authorities to remove or relocate such animals after incidents involving passengers being bitten on March 30 and March 31, 2026. The Court observed that repeated dog bite incidents at one of the country's busiest international airports demonstrated the grave inadequacy of existing containment and public safety measures.

The Court further relied on a report from Karnataka recording more than 2 lakh dog bite cases and at least 25 rabies-related deaths within the first four months of 2026.

According to the report cited by the Court, Vijayapura district recorded around 13,997 cases, while the Greater Bengaluru Authority region reported over 13,400 cases involving stray and pet dogs. Bengaluru Urban district recorded the highest number of rabies-related deaths with six fatalities.

The Court also noted that dog bite cases in Karnataka had risen sharply from around 2.3 lakh in 2023 to nearly 5 lakh in 2025. It observed that the figures showed the issue had acquired dimensions of a serious public health and law and order concern affecting millions of citizens.

The Court additionally referred to reports from Surat involving a German traveller who was allegedly attacked and bitten by stray dogs while visiting the city. It noted that reports from Surat indicated a substantial rise in dog bite incidents in recent years.

The Court observed that such incidents not only endangered the safety and dignity of citizens and visitors but also adversely affected public confidence in civic administration and urban governance.

The observations came while the Court examined affidavits filed by States, Union Territories, NHAI and the Union Government for compliance of directions issued earlier in the stray dog management proceedings and implementation of the Animal Birth Control framework across the country.

The Court noted that Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres were grossly insufficient and often lacked trained personnel, veterinary expertise and equipment. Existing facilities were operating below capacity, hampering sterilisation and vaccination drives.

The Court noted that although the ABC framework was introduced in 2001 and strengthened through the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, States and Union Territories had failed to make sustained efforts over two decades to expand infrastructure in line with the growing stray dog population.

As a result, implementation remained “sporadic, under-funded and uneven”, with fragmented sterilisation and vaccination programmes lacking adequate planning and monitoring.

Emphasising the constitutional duty of States under Article 21, the Court stated that governments could not cite financial constraints, administrative inconvenience or logistical difficulties as justification for inaction where human life and safety were at stake.

It further held that while animal welfare was constitutionally significant, it could not override the State's obligation to protect human life. “When the safety and lives of human beings are weighed against the interests and welfare of sentient beings, the constitutional balance must necessarily and unequivocally tilt in favour of the preservation and protection of human life,” the Court said.

The Court observed that unchecked conditions could reduce civic life to a situation where the Darwinian theory of evolution, i.e., survival of the fittest governs public spaces.

The Court also rejected NHAI's contention that removal of stray animals from highways was primarily the responsibility of States, holding that NHAI must proactively address such hazards as part of its road safety obligations.

Other reports about the judgment can be read here.

Case no. – SMW(C) No. 5/2025

Case Title – In Re: 'City Hounded By Strays, Kids Pay Price'

Click Here To Read/Download Judgment