More than 2.06 lakh dog bite cases were reported across Jammu and Kashmir in just two years, something that should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers, municipal authorities and public health officials. The figures are staggering. They translate into nearly 282 people being bitten every day, highlighting a crisis that can no longer be dismissed as a routine civic problem.
The data points to a troubling trend. Dog bite cases increased from 93,765 in 2024 to 1,12,695 in 2025, indicating that existing measures have failed to keep pace with the growing challenge. Equally concerning is the geographical spread of the problem. While Jammu division accounts for a larger share of cases, the Kashmir Valley too continues to report significant numbers, with Srinagar emerging as one of the worst-affected districts. The lower cases in other districts may be because of the lesser reporting of the cases.
At the heart of the issue lies the unchecked growth of the stray dog population. Urban expansion, poor waste management and the availability of open garbage dumps have created ideal conditions for stray dogs to thrive. Markets, residential colonies, schools and hospitals have increasingly become zones of frequent human-animal interaction, often resulting in attacks, particularly on children, elderly citizens and pedestrians.
The problem is not merely one of public inconvenience. Dog bites carry the risk of rabies, a disease that is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. Successive administrations have relied on Animal Birth Control (ABC) and Anti-Rabies Vaccination (ARV) programmes as the primary response. While these measures are necessary and globally accepted, the rising number of bite cases suggests that implementation remains inadequate. Sterilisation and vaccination efforts have not achieved the scale required to make a meaningful impact.
The way forward is clear. Jammu and Kashmir requires a comprehensive stray dog management policy backed by adequate funding, strict timelines and accountability. Municipal bodies must significantly expand sterilisation and vaccination programmes while simultaneously improving waste management to remove food sources that sustain large stray populations. A fresh, region-wide census of stray dogs should be conducted to guide planning. The issue is very urgent and it is time to handle it with the urgency it deserves.
