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Stray dog attacks in India

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Stray dogs in Kerala, India

India has the highest number of attacks by stray dogs in the world.[1] In Indian cities, stray dog attacks are considered a danger to children and old people.[2] India has 36% of all rabies deaths in the world.[3] India also has the largest number of stray dogs in the world, along with the highest cases of rabies deaths. Most rabies deaths are unreported. In compliance with Animal Birth Control rules, 2001, stray dogs may not be killed, only sterilized. Municipalities lack the money to sterilize stray dogs. Most Indians believe that stray dog attacks are common in their area and that the municipality does not take the necessary steps to reduce dog bites. Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra has the highest number of stray dogs. Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal has the highest number of dog bites.[4] A law created in 2001 to save stray dogs has resulted in an increase in stray dogs, as the law prevents the killing of any stray dog.[5] Small babies are mauled to death by stray dogs in India.[6] The Bihar government found that stray dog bites are the third largest cause of disease in the state.[7]

The stray dog attacks has been a result of a host of factors including negligence of the government and animal welfare organisations, and individual apathy.[8]

Individual attacks

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In 2007, in Bangalore, two children were killed by a pack of dogs, causing animal rights activists to protest against the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike for the action they took against stray dogs, which they considered to be cruel and improper.[9]

In 2009, Meerut had several attacks by dogs that killed children.[10]

In 2014, a two-month-old baby girl was mauled to death by a stray dog.[11] After that, residents attacked and killed the dog.[12] The incident caused anger amongst the public who complained about civic bodies not controlling the growing stray dog population.[13]

In 2015, in Delhi, seven-year-old boy was mauled to death by stray dogs.[14] the National Human Rights Commission spoke about the death,[15] and the need for a debate about human rights along with animal rights. Delhi High Court asked SDMC about street safety due to the death of the boy.[16]

In 2016, a 65-year-old woman was mauled to death by stray dogs and a 90-year-old man was killed by stray dogs in Kerala. The woman was partially eaten by the stray dogs. After this, angry locals killed 100 stray dogs.[17][18] Some people even offered bounties for killing stray dogs.[19]

In 2018, stray dogs killed 14 children in Khairabad, Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh. The dogs were called man-eaters as some of the children's body parts were chewed off.[20] Scientists investigated why the dogs were killing children.[21]

In 2019, a boy was attacked and killed and eaten by stray dogs in Amritsar. The dogs were called man-eater dogs.[22] In 2019, Chandigarh saw an increase in stray dog bites and a child was mauled to death by stray dogs.[23]

In 2020, a three-hour-old newborn baby was mauled to death by stray dogs in Farukhabad, Uttar Pradesh, as hospital staff left the window open in an operating theatre. Police filed a case against the hospital staff.[24]

In April 2022, stray dogs mauled children to death in Punjab.[25]

In January 2022, in Bijnor, a 30-year-old woman was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs, after a 15-year-old girl was killed by a group of stray dogs. This was a rare case of stray dogs killing an adult woman, as they usually attack children.[26]

The death of a seven-month-old baby in Noida in October 2022[27] increased debates about dog rights.[28] People made candlelit protests about the death of the child by stray dog attacks.[29]

In 2023, nine women were killed by man-eater dogs in Begusarai, Bihar.[30]

February 19, 2023, a tragic incident occurred in Hyderabad when a 4-year-old boy was fatally attacked by three stray dogs on a deserted street, with graphic footage circulating on social media.[31]

70-year-old retired UNICEF doctor was killed in AMU. His death was caught on CCTV.[32]

In Bijnor 10 people, including six children were killed by stray dogs from 2022 to 2023.[33]

Attacks on wildlife, livestock and fauna

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Stray dogs attacking a deer fawn in Kerala

Indian stray dogs kill endangered species and livestock in national parks, sanctuaries, buffer zones, and protected areas.[34] Indian farmers have complained that stray dogs kill their livestock.[35]

Researchers at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment have studied the impact of stray dogs on their surroundings in India. Golden langur, the great Indian bustard and green turtles were attacked by dogs in protected areas.[36] Other research has also found that dogs are a threat to the ecosystem and endangered species all over India. Dogs attacked endangered stags in Kashmir, olive ridley eggs and hatchlings, killed foxes, endangered great Indian bustards, wild ass, Gazelle, Nilgai, Blackbuck and deer in sanctuaries.[37]

Previous studies have shown that domesticated dogs endangered 188 species of animals and have caused 11 mass extinctions globally. Domestic dogs are regarded as aggressive mammalian predators.[38] Stray dogs killed barking deer, sambar deer, spotted deer, jungle cats and leopards in forest areas of Munnar and Marayoor.[39] In Rajasthan, the endangered Great Indian bustard is facing a major threat from stray dogs who kill the birds and even destroy their eggs.[40] In Himachal Pradesh, the dogs are a threat to native wildlife like blue sheep, red panda, musk deer, Red foxes, weasels, martens, pika and marmots. The Himachal government said feral dogs were a threat to the ecosystem.[41] In Hisar, Haryana, stray dogs killed 78% of wildlife in five years.[42]

The Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) have called for strict action to end the menace of stray dogs after the highly endangered stripe-necked mongoose was mauled to death by stray dogs.[43]

Responses

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Kerala's government faced opposition when they decided to cull dangerous dogs infected with rabies that were biting people.[44] Kerala citizens hired vigilantes to kill dogs after children were attacked by dogs and hospitalized.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ http://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/the-menace-of-street-dogs-in-indian-cities/
  2. ^ Harris, Gardiner (August 7, 2012). "Where Streets Are Thronged With Strays Baring Fangs". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Lakshmi, Rama (October 21, 2016). "India has 30 million stray dogs. In one state, vigilantes are being pushed to kill them". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  4. ^ "Stray dog menace: Civic bodies have failed us, say 90% people in a national survey". India Today. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  5. ^ Lobo, Ryan. "Opinion: What Explains India's Privileged Treatment of Street Dogs? – The Wire Science". Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  6. ^ "Isn't public safety prime responsibility of civic bodies?". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  7. ^ "Who let the dogs out: Canine attacks the 3rd biggest cause for disease in Bihar". India Today. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  8. ^ "What Is Causing Stray Dog Problem In India? What Does The Law Say? How To Protect Yourself During An Attack". News18. May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  9. ^ "Beware of dogs". frontline.thehindu.com. April 5, 2007. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  10. ^ "Hunt for man-eater dogs". Hindustan Times. March 11, 2009. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  11. ^ "Delhi: Dog Mauls Two-Month-Old Baby to Death". NDTV.com. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  12. ^ "Dog mauls baby to death in Delhi". Deccan Herald. June 28, 2014. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  13. ^ "Stray mauls baby to death". The Times of India. TNN. June 28, 2014. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  14. ^ Somreet Bhattacharya (August 5, 2015). "Stray dogs bite 7-year-old Delhi boy to death". The Times of India. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  15. ^ "Dogs take over Delhi streets". The Indian Express. August 31, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  16. ^ "Delhi: Boy's death in stray dog attack puts focus on street safety". News18. August 9, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  17. ^ "When man's best friend turns killer". The Times of India. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  18. ^ "65-Year-Old Woman Eaten And Killed By Some 50 Stray Dogs In Kerala". IndiaTimes. August 20, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  19. ^ "Kerala stray dogs: The Indian state getting a bad rap over the animals". BBC News. September 27, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  20. ^ Gettleman, Jeffrey; Kumar, Hari (May 22, 2018). "Killer Dogs Take 14 Lives. Did Closing Slaughterhouses Play a Role?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  21. ^ Doshi, Vidhi (May 10, 2018). "Stray dogs are killing children in India. Scientists want to find out why". Washington Post.
  22. ^ "The man-eating stray dogs of Punjab". India Today. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  23. ^ "400 victims a month in two clinics, Chandigarh goes to the dogs". The Indian Express. March 26, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  24. ^ "Baby mauled to death by dogs in Indian hospital". the Guardian. Agence France-Presse. January 14, 2020. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  25. ^ "No end to stray dog menace in Amritsar". Tribuneindia News Service. April 6, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  26. ^ Harveer Dabas (January 26, 2022). "Dogs maul 30-year-old woman to death in Uttar Pradesh". The Times of India. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  27. ^ "Stray Dog Menace: What Noida Is Doing To Curb Dog Bite Incidents?". India.com. October 28, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  28. ^ "Dog dilemma: Awareness key to curb stray dog menace, say experts after baby mauled in Noida". The Indian Express. October 18, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  29. ^ "Candle March Protest In Noida After Baby Dies In Street Dog Attack". NDTV.com. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  30. ^ Raj, Dev (January 4, 2023). "'Man-eater' dog terror back in Bihar". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  31. ^ "Hyderabad: 4-year-old child bitten to death by street dogs, shocking incident caught on CCTV camera". The Economic Times. February 21, 2023. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  32. ^ "Retired UNICEF doctor killed by stray dogs on Aligarh Muslim University campus". The Times of India. April 17, 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  33. ^ "Girl killed by strays in Bijnor; 10th in 15 mths". The Times of India. February 21, 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  34. ^ "Dogs Are Turning Hunters, Wreaking Havoc On India's Livestock, Wildlife". The Wire. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  35. ^ McCoy, Terrence (August 20, 2019). "The dog is one of the world's most destructive mammals. Brazil proves it". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  36. ^ Ghosh, Sahana. "Dog trouble: Is our best friend a foe for wildlife?". Scroll.in. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  37. ^ "Pet peeve: India's top predator may just be the dog. And we're to blame". Hindustan Times. June 2, 2017. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  38. ^ "Is man's best friend biodiversity's enemy?". Research Matters. April 11, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  39. ^ Thomas, Sandeep (September 12, 2022). "Stray Canines A Threat To Wildlife In Munnar Region". The Times of India. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  40. ^ "After antelopes, the Great Indian Bustard's survival is threatened by dogs". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. March 19, 2019. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  41. ^ "Feral dogs aggravate biodiversity crisis in Himalayas". The Third Pole. March 23, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  42. ^ "Wildlife falling prey to stray dogs in Hisar". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  43. ^ "Stray dog threat to small fauna". The Hindu. July 2, 2016. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  44. ^ Sarkar, Monica (July 13, 2015). "Indian state's plans to cull stray dogs hits opposition". CNN. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
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