Bengaluru records over 13,800 dog bite cases in 6 months amid stray dog concerns

The sharp rise in cases mirrors a statewide trend, with Karnataka witnessing a 36% surge in dog bite incidents compared to the same period last year.

Bengaluru has recorded 13,831 dog bite cases within the first six months of 2025, all within the limits of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

May registered the highest number of incidents at 2,562, while February saw the lowest, with 1,883 cases. (PTI)

According to official data, May registered the highest number of incidents at 2,562, while February saw the lowest, with 1,883 cases, Deccan Herald reported.

The sharp rise in cases mirrors a statewide trend, with Karnataka witnessing a 36% surge in dog bite incidents compared to the same period last year.

Despite ongoing awareness programmes and vaccination drives, officials admit the numbers are "alarming."

According to BBMP’s Annual Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV) report, a total of 50,055 dogs have been vaccinated in the city so far. Bengaluru’s stray dog population, as per BBMP’s latest census, stands at 2.7 lakh, the DH report further added.

Karnataka needs an estimated 38,000 to 40,000 rabies vaccine doses every month, and all government hospitals are required to treat dog bite victims free of cost.

Supreme Court on stray dogs

A plea regarding the relocation of stray dogs was mentioned before a bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Wednesday. CJI Chandrachud briefly responded, saying, “I will look into it.”

This comes in the wake of the Supreme Court’s recent directive on Monday, ordering that all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR be picked up within eight weeks and housed in shelters to be set up by the appropriate authorities.

The order has sparked a flurry of reactions, while some have welcomed the move as a much-needed relief from rising dog bite incidents, others have criticised it as impractical and warned that forced relocation could worsen human-animal conflict. The matter was again brought before the court along with a reminder of its previous ruling, which barred the relocation or culling of stray dogs and stressed strict compliance with animal welfare laws.

(With agency inputs)