Efforts fall short: Hyderabad logs 30k dog bite cases each year

HYDERABAD: Even as the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) asserts that it has ramped up the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, the city continues to grapple with a surge in number of stray dogs and related attacks on residents.

Each year, the city reports 30,000 dog bite cases, underscoring public safety concerns.
Data from the civic body reveals the city has logged 3 lakh dog bite cases in the past decade, alongside 3.6 lakh complaints regarding dog menace from 2014 to mid-2024. However, since 2014, GHMC affirms that it has sterilised and vaccinated 7.2 lakh street dogs to curb rabies.

Officials estimate that there are 4 lakh stray dogs. The impact of these bites is stark: in 2023 alone, Hyderabad's Fever Hospital administered more than 75,000 rabies vaccinations due to dog attacks.

“In order to execute the ABC-anti rabies programme, GHMC employs six shelter managers, 22 para-veterinarians, and 362 semi-skilled veterinary workers on an outsourcing basis,” officials said. They utilise 30 civic vehicles and hire 20 for dog catching efforts. The city supports five animal care centres, costing GHMC ₹11.5 crore annually.

GHMC’s proactive measures include a high-level committee of ward members from all parties. This committee recently inspected all animal care centres, consulting NGOs, activists, volunteers, and veterinarians.

Their recommendations include round-the-clock dog catching operations, awareness campaigns in 1,066 schools, and educating residents on dog behaviour and bite management.

“As p er the committee’s advice, we conduct three shifts of dog catching, raise awareness in residential associations and schools about the ABC-AR programme, and provide guidelines on interacting with street dogs,” said a GHMC official.
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