Strays rule streets in Haryana, 11 lakh dog bite cases in a decade

Deepender Deswal

Hisar, February 25

Indicating the gravity of the stray dog menace in Haryana, the data provided by the Health Department reveals that 11,04,887 dog bite cases were reported in 18 districts in the last about 10 years. Besides, nearly 14.60 lakh persons were vaccinated for rabies during the period.

Focus on sterilisation

Instead of spending on purchasing vaccine, the government should boost sterilisationprogramme. Vinod Kadwasra, animal rights activist

The information was procured by animal rights activist Vinod Kadwasra, who says the rising number of stray dogs due to lack of sterilisation programmes is posing a threat not only to humans, but also to animals like deer and black bucks, both endangered species. The government claims a total of 1,37,449 stray dogs were sterilised in 11 districts at a cost of Rs 17,46,626 from 2014 to 2022. Despite this, their population has gone up from 4,22,474 in 2012 to 4,64,578 in 2019. The matter assumes significance in the wake of the recent death of a 38-year-old man in Gohana town of Sonepat district.

The victim was allegedly mauled by a pack of stray dogs. The RTI information reveals Ambala, the home district of Health Minister Anil Vij, has the highest number of dog bite cases (1,54,326), followed by Jind (1,43,766) and Rohtak (1,21,603). Kadwasra says he had sought data from 2012 to 2022 from all districts. “But officials in Rewari, Yamunanagar, Nuh and Palwal districts have not provided the information so far. Some districts, including Ambala, Faridabad, Karnal, Panchkula and Panipat, provided incomplete data,” he says.

Kadwasra says the number of persons given anti-rabies vaccine is more than the dog bite cases, which also points at some mismatch in the data available with the government.

He says anti-rabies vaccine costs about Rs 1,500-Rs 2,000 per dose in private hospitals, while the government facilities charge Rs 100 each. Instead of spending money on purchasing the vaccine, the government should try to control the population of stray dogs by giving boost to the sterilisation programme, he adds.