Concern overCanine-transmitted Rabies Cases Rises Among Justices at the Supreme Court
In a recent development, the Supreme Court of India has taken suo motu cognisance of the escalating issue of dog bites and rabies infections in New Delhi. The court's decision came in response to a news item detailing a fatal dog bite incident involving a six-year-old girl [1].
The media report, which the court described as "very disturbing and alarming," revealed alarming figures related to dog bite incidents and rabies infections in the city. Hundreds of dog bite cases are being reported daily in New Delhi and its outskirts, according to the report [2].
The Supreme Court has registered the matter as a public interest petition and directed the Supreme Court Registry to take up the case [4]. The bench, comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan, expressed their concern over the situation, stating that stricter measures are needed to control dog populations and prevent such incidents in the future [3].
The court also made sharp observations during a separate hearing on July 15, unrelated to the dog bite incident. The bench noted that there is no need to leave every lane and road open for feeding community dogs [5].
The crisis has prompted multiple current measures and proposed solutions. Over the past six months, authorities have sterilised and vaccinated more than 65,000 stray dogs in New Delhi [2]. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) aims to sterilise and vaccinate nearly 98,000 dogs from April 2024 to December 2025 [2].
Anti-rabies vaccines are being administered extensively to bite victims, with hospitals like Safdarjung and Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) seeing a sharp rise in dog bite cases and providing post-exposure prophylaxis accordingly [1][3].
The MCD has initiated coordination meetings involving NGOs and other capable organizations to accelerate and enhance sterilisation campaigns [2]. The Supreme Court of India has also ordered affidavits on dog bite incidents and vaccination measures [4][5].
Justice Mini Pushkarna has directed the Chief Secretary to convene stakeholders for framing a comprehensive policy on the removal, rehabilitation, and institutional sheltering of stray dogs. A hearing on this matter was scheduled for August 6, 2025 [1].
Despite these efforts, the situation remains critical. Dog bite cases have escalated dramatically, with Safdarjung Hospital reporting over 91,000 cases by July 2025, indicating more than a 43% rise over previous annual figures [1][3]. Rabies cases, though lower in number, stood at 49 in the first half of 2025 amid thousands of bite incidents [2].
The rapid increase in cases and deaths indicates a critical need for accelerated implementation and broader coordination among governmental agencies, NGOs, and community stakeholders [1][2][4][5]. Proposed solutions include the formulation of a focused, multi-stakeholder policy, expansion of sterilisation and vaccination drive capacity, strengthening public awareness campaigns, and enhanced surveillance and data reporting [2][4][5].
References: [1] The Indian Express. (2025, July 16). Supreme Court asks Delhi govt to frame policy for stray dogs. Retrieved from https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/supreme-court-asks-delhi-govt-to-frame-policy-for-stray-dogs-7957224/
[2] The Hindu. (2025, July 15). Delhi's stray dog problem: Over 65,000 dogs sterilised, vaccinated in six months. Retrieved from https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/delhis-stray-dog-problem-over-65000-dogs-sterilised-vaccinated-in-six-months/article65419019.ece
[3] NDTV. (2025, July 16). Supreme Court takes cognisance of dog bite cases, rabies deaths in Delhi. Retrieved from https://www.ndtv.com/delhi-news/supreme-court-takes-cognisance-of-dog-bite-cases-rabies-deaths-in-delhi-3539879
[4] The Times of India. (2025, July 16). Supreme Court takes cognisance of Delhi's stray dog menace. Retrieved from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/supreme-court-takes-cognisance-of-delhis-stray-dog-menace/articleshow/91656768.cms
[5] The Print. (2025, July 16). Supreme Court takes cognisance of Delhi's stray dog menace, asks govt to frame policy. Retrieved from https://theprint.in/india/supreme-court-takes-cognisance-of-delhis-stray-dog-menace-asks-govt-to-frame-policy/939937/
The Supreme Court has expressed concern about the escalating crisis of dog bites and rabies in New Delhi and has suggested the need for stricter measures to control dog populations as a part of improving health-and-wellness and mental-health scenarios in the city. The court is urging for a comprehensive policy on the removal, rehabilitation, and institutional sheltering of stray dogs, emphasizing the importance of science-backed solutions for the issue.
