- By Shubham Bajpai
- Sun, 14 Dec 2025 11:13 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The central government has taken strict measures to address the rising incidence of dog bites in the country and ensure the safety of the public in public places. Following Supreme Court directives, municipal corporations as well as panchayat bodies have now been made directly accountable.
For the first time, a provision has been made mandating all districts to submit monthly reports detailing the number of stray dogs removed and the number of staff deployed for this work.
The central government will review these reports. It will also monitor the compliance with the Supreme Court's orders and established standard procedures.
The National Animal Welfare Board has issued new standard operating procedures (SOPs) recognising dog-bite incidents as a public health crisis. Thousands of such cases, involving children and the elderly, are reported to hospitals across the country every year.
The Board has clarified that equal importance will be given to both animal welfare and human life, but in case of any crisis, the priority will be human safety.
In the new system, the Municipal Corporations and Panchayat bodies have been declared accountable units and responsibility for negligence has also been fixed.
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Action will be taken against negligence
Based on reports from the districts, an assessment will be made of the seriousness with which states and municipalities have taken action. Action can also be taken if negligence is found. Open access to garbage and food contributes to the increase in stray dog populations. Therefore, municipalities have been instructed to ensure regular cleaning and monitoring of areas where dogs are removed, to prevent recurrence of the threat.
The government has identified schools, colleges, hospitals, government offices, bus stands, railway stations, markets, and other crowded public places as sensitive. Local bodies will be responsible for removing stray dogs from these areas. No institution or colony can allow dogs to reside on its premises. The administration must take immediate action if a threat is reported.
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The board has clarified that the process of removing dogs should be done humanely, but they should not be released back into areas with high footfall. Previously, dogs were often captured and released far away, but they would return to the same area after some time.