India is facing an escalating public health crisis on its streets, yet the response from authorities remains trapped in endless deliberation. The numbers tell a grim story: between January and May 2026 alone, 28 people lost their lives to rabies. To put this in perspective, the total number of rabies deaths in 2025 was 33. This sharp increase in fatalities comes at a time when the Supreme Court has issued strict directives to manage the crisis, highlighting a catastrophic failure in implementation.

A soaring crisis of rabies and bites
The scale of the stray dog menace is staggering. Over the last five years, approximately 15 lakh people across the country have suffered dog bites. In 2025, the number of bite victims stood at 3.69 lakh. In just the first five months of 2026, the figure has already touched 3 lakh. If this trajectory continues, the number of victims is projected to reach 6 lakh by the end of the year. Beyond the immediate physical trauma, there is a substantial economic burden. With post-exposure vaccines and treatment costing at least ₹3,000 per patient, the projected healthcare bill for 2026 is a staggering ₹180 crore. Over the last five years, the public exchequer and individuals have spent an estimated ₹450 crore on treatment and vaccines alone. This does not account for the thousands who have been injured or left permanently disabled due to road accidents caused by stray dogs darting across traffic.

The myth of provocation
A common argument raised by animal rights advocates is that dogs only bite when provoked or when a person runs away in fear. However, this argument collapses under the weight of reality. How does one explain attacks on a five-month-old infant sleeping in a cradle, or a toddler playing safely in a courtyard? The increasingly aggressive behaviour of rapidly multiplying stray dogs goes beyond simple scientific or behavioural analyses. Despite decades of seminars, workshops, and high-level meetings, practical solutions remain non-existent on the ground. Countless reports are compiled and published every month, only to be shelved and forgotten.

Judicial directives ignored
The stray dog menace is not unique to Kerala; it is a nationwide emergency that has even reached the corridors of the Supreme Court, where stray packs have been seen roaming freely. Six months ago, the Supreme Court laid down clear, practical directives. It ruled that stray dogs occupying public spaces—such as schools, colleges, hospitals, railway stations, and bus stands—must be captured, vaccinated, neutered, and housed in permanent shelters rather than being released back into the same busy locations. The court also ordered the neutering of remaining stray populations, the creation of necessary infrastructure, and the humane euthanasia of terminally ill or aggressively dangerous dogs. Despite these clear judicial instructions, local state authorities have taken no meaningful steps to build shelters or establish proper Animal Birth Control (ABC) infrastructure.

A sustainable path forward
Instead of systemic action, we see administrative paralysis. In Thiruvananthapuram, attempts by the municipal corporation to round up stray dogs and move them to shelters were met with protests by animal rights activists, who claimed the methods were unscientific. While animal welfare is important, human safety cannot be compromised. The only permanent solution is a comprehensive system where stray dogs are captured, sterilised, and placed in dedicated shelters. From there, they can be put up for adoption. If the population in these shelters exceeds capacity, humane euthanasia must be considered as a last resort. This is the model successfully implemented in developed nations like the USA. India must introduce robust legislative reforms to replicate this balanced approach, prioritising both public safety and animal welfare.

The views expressed are personal.