Parag Desai, the executor director of Wagh Bakri Tea Group, died on Sunday, a week after he got injured outside his home in Ahmedabad while trying to ward off street dogs that attacked him. The director suffered severe head injuries after the fall and died on Sunday at a hospital in Ahmedabad due to a brain haemorrhage.
This is not the first time that stray dogs have killed or led to the deaths of people including vulnerable sections like children and senior citizens. Many such incidents of pets attacking humans have also made it to the news in recent years.
Here is all you need to know about why stray dogs attack, what laws say regarding dogs and who is responsible for such attacks.
What Leads to Stray Dog Attacks?
India’s population has reached 1.4 billion while the population density on the relatively small piece of land is high. The extremely overcrowded conditions and a dense population are just a couple of reasons for the number of strays, multiple reports said.
Additionally, India does not have a proper mechanism for animal healthcare and control. The lack of proper animal control measures has also led to a massive population explosion and clashes with humans. Moreover, the dogs can become ferocious due to lack of food or they may get an infection.
Stray Dog Population and Dog Bite Cases?
As per reports, there are over 1 crore pet dogs in the country, while the stray dog population is about 3.5 crore.
The National Crime Records Bureau data shows there were 4,146 reported cases of dog bites leading to human deaths in the country in 2019. A separate data shows that the country witnessed over 1.5 crore dog bite cases since 2019.
Uttar Pradesh, with the highest number of strays, saw the highest incidents with 27.52 lakh cases, followed by Tamil Nadu (20.7 lakh) and Maharashtra (15.75 lakh).
Who is Responsible for Stray Dog Attack?
Stray dogs may be rabid, hurt, hungry, traumatised or anxious, or protecting their puppies. In such cases, the canines may attack if provoked or feel a threat. Moreover, the presence of stray dogs can lead to dog bites, rabies and constant barking, in some cases.
The stray dog attacks has been a result of a host of factors including negligence of the government and animal welfare organizations; and individual apathy.
The government has failed to implement effective measures to control the stray dog population. The attitude of the animal welfare organizations and civic society groups has been callous and neglected. A handful of individuals who care for stray animals are often met with unbelievable ridicule and resistance.
The neglect and apathy of individuals, social groups and government leaves millions of dogs without vaccination and they are left abandoned to live on the streets, creating bigger problems.
What Do Laws Say About Stray Dogs?
As per the law, it is illegal to remove a dog from the streets and the dogs cannot be driven away. So, once a dog is on the streets, it has a “right” to stay there unless adopted.
The killing of dogs is also banned in India since 2001. The Supreme Court of India in 2008 suspended the Mumbai High Court verdict allowing municipal authorises to kill dogs that were “creating a nuisance”.
Article 51A(G) of the Indian Constitution states, “It is a fundamental duty upon every citizen of India to protect wildlife and have compassion for all living creatures.”
Feeding stray dogs is legal both within and outside any society. The Supreme Court last year upheld a previous Delhi High Court order that allowed residents to feed stray dogs in their residential areas.
However, the dogs can’t be removed from the residential areas. As per the rules, the people concerned can contact the Municipal authorities like MCD or an NGO, who can take the dogs for sterilisation. But the dog will be let back from the place it has been picked up from.
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