A recent study conducted by the University of Edinburgh revealed that most human-street dog relationships in India are non-aggressive, with 82 per cent of the conflicts observed involving either friendly or neutral behaviour. Aggressive interactions, which include barking, chasing, and biting, constituted only a small percentage of the encounters, i.e., 2 percent. These conclusions are significant with respect to the recent Supreme Court directive to transfer stray dogs in all the localities of Delhi-NCR and place them in shelter homes, evoking increased cases of dog bite and rabies.
The study, which was conducted by Professor Krithika Srinivasan, warns of the potential negative impact that mass removal or culling of street dogs may have on important advances in public health. Due to the widespread use of dog vaccinations and improved post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), human rabies in India has decreased by almost 75 percent in the last twenty years, which is 274 Human rabies cases in 2005 to only 34 Human rabies cases in 2022. Nevertheless, there are some problems with the provision of PEP and complete vaccines in time.
Srinivasan warns against culling street dogs because it typically boomerangs, and new dogs may migrate into areas thus swept, leaving ecological vacuums which may be occupied by wildlife that could prove to be harmful. The 2022-23 survey, which covers 15 states, showed a rate of dog bite incidence of 4.7/1,000 population, lower than the corresponding rate in Cheshire, UK (18.7/1,000).
This is based on public opinion surveys conducted in Chennai, Jaipur, and Malappuram, which indicated that 86 percent of the people believe in vaccinating dogs, 66 percent favor neutering, and over 70 percent are strongly opposed to culling. The greatest opposition was in the case of those who had personally experienced being pinned down or even bitten by dogs at 77 percent.
The research suggests using a science-based and community-engaged approach, which involves universal and free PEP, extended vaccination programs, improvement of food waste management, health education, and responsible caretaking. It emphasizes that even though the policies of elimination appear as an easy solution, they do not guarantee long-term safety.
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