Bombay HC seeks stray dog census data, flags gaps in rabies vaccination

The Bombay High Court on Friday asked the Maharashtra government to provide the total population of stray dogs in the state, along with figures on sterilisation and vaccination, to assess the adequacy of measures to control their numbers and prevent dog-bite incidents.The court raised the issue while examining the state’s compliance with directions concerning stray dog management.A bench of Chief Justice MC Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna was hearing a suo motu petition following the Supreme Court’s May 19 judgment, which directed the High Courts to register suo motu cases to monitor the implementation of its orders by state governments and Union Territories.After examining the data presented by the Additional Government Pleader (AGP), the bench sought comprehensive figures on the stray dog population. Amicus curiae Mihir Desai pointed out that the absence of reliable population data made it difficult to determine whether sterilisation and vaccination drives were adequate."We don't know the population of the strays. No information is provided, and it is necessary to measure the adequacy of these sterilisation and vaccination drives," Desai submitted.STERILISATION AND RABIES PREVENTION In a note submitted to the court, Desai stated that 150,594 dogs had been sterilised within Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) over the preceding six months. He argued that these figures needed to be assessed against the estimated stray dog population to determine the programme’s effectiveness.He also highlighted gaps in access to rabies treatment. According to the data presented, 128 of the state’s 831 government hospitals did not have anti-rabies vaccines, while 381 lacked rabies immunoglobulin.Desai further pointed out that a dedicated helpline number for dog-bite incidents had not been provided.The amicus curiae also flagged figures concerning the relocation of stray dogs from institutional premises. Of the 19,694 dogs detected inside urban institutions, only 1,479, or approximately 7.5 per cent, had been shifted to shelters.For rural areas, the government affidavits listed relocation data as "Not Applicable".Desai also sought a breakdown of shelters complying with the Animal Welfare Board of India’s (AWBI) Standard Operating Procedure, issued on November 27, 2025, for managing stray dogs and preventing dog-bite incidents in public and private institutional areas.STATE ASSURES OF GUIDELINE COMPLIANCEDuring an earlier hearing, the High Court had asked the state government to "aggressively" implement the animal birth control (ABC) programme.The AGP submitted that a livestock census is conducted every five years and could help establish approximate population figures.The government also argued that sterilisation would gradually reduce the stray dog population, noting that dogs generally live for 12 to 15 years.The AGP informed the bench that 13,382 sterilisation procedures had been carried out in September 2026, with data collected from rural areas, municipal corporations and municipalities across the state.Assuring the court of its cooperation, the AGP said, "The State is not taking the proceedings as adversarial at all. We are open to all the suggestions made by Amicus, and we will try to comply with the ABC rules and the guidelines".The next hearing is scheduled for November 2, when the state government is expected to submit updated compliance data and details of the census.The court will examine the information to assess the progress of sterilisation, vaccination and other measures to address stray dog management and dog-bite incidents.- Ends