Pune, Maharashtra (December 21, 2024): The number of stray dogs in the city is rising steadily causing increasing fear among residents. Previously, the problem mainly affected people traveling at night. However, in recent days, incidents have occurred that have made it difficult to even walk during the day. Stray dogs have become so aggressive that they are attacking children playing in society complexes during daylight hours.
While rural areas are grappling with leopard attacks, the situation in the city has worsened with stray dogs causing chaos. Between January and November, 23,374 people in Pune were attacked by stray dogs. Despite the rising number of incidents, the local administration has failed to take effective action, leading to growing frustration among the public.
In one such incident, five-year-old Samarth Suryavanshi was attacked by a stray dog while playing in the parking area of Chandrangan Society Phase 07 in Ambegaon budruk. The child was seriously injured and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital. This attack has once again highlighted the stray dog issue in Pune city and its suburbs.
Stray dogs are commonly found around hotels, food stalls, garbage bins, and market areas throughout the city. At night, these dogs often roam in groups, running in front of vehicles. There have been multiple reports of the dogs attacking pedestrians, especially children and elderly individuals. Residents have expressed growing concerns and are calling for immediate action from the municipal corporation.
Sterilization Efforts Underway but Inadequate
From April to November 2024, the Pune Municipal Corporation trapped and sterilized 37,486 stray dogs. The dogs were also vaccinated against rabies, according to Dr. Sarika Funde, the municipal veterinary officer.
Increasing Dog Attacks on Citizens
As the stray dog population grows, attacks on citizens have become more common. These include incidents involving people on morning walks, children playing outside, and people riding motorcycles late at night. In some areas, stray dogs have disturbed residents by howling loudly at night, disrupting their sleep.
Current Measures Proving Ineffective
The city’s expansion, waste disposal on the streets, and residents feeding stray dogs are all contributing factors to the growing population of stray dogs. While the municipal corporation regularly conducts sterilization campaigns, the scale of the problem has proven too large for these efforts to have a significant impact.
Dog Bite Statistics
- 2019: 12,252
- 2020: 12,734
- 2021: 15,972
- 2022: 16,077
- 2023: 21,002
Dog Bite Incidents in 2024
- January: 1,973
- February: 2,093
- March: 1,961
- April: 1,920
- May: 2,839
- June: 2,199
- July: 2,012
- August: 1,937
- September: 2,026
- October: 2,189
- November: 2,225