How India Manages Stray Dogs and Prevents Rabies

Updated on June 19, 2026

How India Manages Stray Dogs and Prevents RabiesIndia has a very large number of stray dogs living in cities, towns, and villages�. The government wants to make sure people stay safe, especially from dog bites and diseases like rabies, while also caring for animals in a kind way. Here’s a simple explanation of what the government is doing:The New Rules for Stray DogsCities and towns must manage stray dogs. This means they need to control how many dogs live on the streets�.The Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023 are now the main rules. These replaced the older rules from 2001.The main idea is to catch stray dogs, sterilize them (so they cannot have puppies), vaccinate them against rabies, and then release them back where they were picked up�.The rules also tell local Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), Apartment Owners’ Associations (AOAs), and even local government bodies to help feed and care for these dogs, but only in a responsible way that does not bother other people�.Who Does What?The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) tells states and cities how to run dog control programmes.The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) checks that the rules are followed and helps solve problems if there are complaints about feeding stray dogs.RWAs and AOAs must help with feeding and looking after the dogs. If they don’t follow the guidelines, there isn’t a fine, but the government will remind them to do their duty�.Protecting People from Dog Bites and RabiesThe Ministry of Health and Family Welfare handles health matters like dog bites and rabies. They run the National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP)�.In 2024, there were over 3.7 million dog bite cases and 54 suspected human deaths from rabies. That means controlling rabies is very important�.The government buys and sends anti-rabies vaccines to states. These are given to stray dogs to protect them — and people�.Money Spent on Vaccine ProgrammesThe government spends money every year to buy vaccines for stray dogs. Here’s a summary of how much has been spent in the last five years:The amount has gone up because the number of dogs vaccinated has increased every year�.Keeping Track of Stray DogsThe government counts stray dogs every five years in a big Livestock Census. Towns and cities can do their own counts every year if needed�.More reliable numbers help plan better dog control efforts.How the Public Can HelpPeople are allowed to feed stray dogs, but this should be done without causing problems for others or making public places dirty��.If anyone finds a sick or hurt stray dog, they can inform animal welfare organizations, the municipality, or the local veterinary hospital�.Complaints about stray dogs or problems with feeding should be reported to local authorities or the Animal Welfare Board.Why This MattersThe government wants to make Indian cities safer from diseases and dog bites while also being kind to animals. The focus is:Sterilizing and vaccinating dogs, not removing or hurting them���.Involving local societies, animal welfare groups, and the public in the process.Investing more money and having better data for smarter action.This simple and fair approach is designed to help both people and animals live together peacefully in India

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