11th August 2025 is the black day in the history of Indian dogs. The Supreme Court on this day took suo motu cognizance to remove all stray dogs from Delhi NCR (National Capital Region). This was based on a media report of child dying of rabies.
Animal activists claim that the child died of meningitis & not Rabies as claimed by media. This is quite possible because media lately has been reporting fake news of dog bites & creating hate & fear for dogs in India.
The order says to pick dogs by municipal corporations and to be kept in shelters indefinitely. This means slow & painful death of our furries. When ABC units work in such horrible conditions then one can imagine how permanent dog shelters would function.
Prior to the colonial rule Indian dogs were considered companion of Lord Bhairav ( a fierce form of Lord Shiva) & every Indian household used to feed them. No one killed them or relocated them. However, because they are carnivorous animals therefore their presence indoors (inside homes) were not allowed. And this is followed by majority of Indians even today. They would not mind feeding the dog sitting outside home but have reservations in bringing him indoors and keep him as pet. This cultural problem is one of the biggest barrier for pet keeping in India. Something which policy makers did not consider while framing dog rules and pet policies.
During colonial era Indian dog's status changed & their struggles started. They started being shooed away & killed. After independence their situation remained the same. However, after ABC rules came in 2001 there was a ray of hope for these sentient beings but corruption & greed marred that too.
ABC happened in most unsystematic and random manner in Delhi NCR. As a result dog population multiplied.
NAPRE (National Action Plan for Dog Mediated Rabies Elimination from India by 2030) was introduced by Govt of India in 2021 but regular vaccination of dogs never happened nor right awareness about canine rabies ever happened. And the result is right in front of us. Dogs feared and hated due to fear of rabies.
Today every dog bite considered rabid and every human dog bite victim asked to take rabies vaccine as precautionary measure whether he requires it or not. Even a pet owner bitten by his vaccinated, non rabid, healthy dog is asked to take vaccine that too multiple shots. Is this right? Why Indians deprived of right information about canine rabies? And why all asked to get themselves vaccinated even when they don't require? This surely helps pharma companies increase their sales at the cost of dogs who are considered rabid.
While human vaccination is getting all the focus, dog vaccination is not. Wonder why? Because only dog vaccination will make India canine rabies free. Why Animal Welfare bodies failed to implement the animal component of NAPRE which says to vaccinate 70% of dog population for atleast 3 years every year is a matter of concern.
The following research paper on man-dog conflict talks about the reasons for failure of ABC & solutions to make it more effective.
https://doi.org/10.47172/2965-730X.SDGsReview.v5.n06.pe06214
Biting is a defence mechanism for dogs to protect themselves but majority of Indians don't know this. For them every biting dog is rabid & aggressive. Dogs who bite are killed, relocated and poisoned & their caregivers/ feeders abused and harassed.
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1Cf4NAHUBG/
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMx78HfSgQK/?igsh=eXN4cG12NnloM3Nk
Today dog bites and rabies have become synonyms. And nothing is being done to address the reasons for dog bites & solutions to reduce them. Hence cruelties towards dogs has increased but both media and govt have turned a blind eye to it. And the unfortunate part is that even juduciary completely ignored this.
https://x.com/joedelhi/status/1944283848327450885?t=O8A9AI9nUCHqZd_V4c3mpw&s=08
https://www.facebook.com/share/1SbrpyX8Vo/
The problem in India is that judiciary, govt and common man have been fooled by municipal corporations and animal welfare bodies whose primary job was welfare of dogs & society. But no Welfare happened in the last two decades. Only crores spent on ABC without actually benefiting anyone. And now crores shall be spent by same people on making & running dog pounds.
It is these people who should have been punished by court & not the innocent dogs of India