Gujarat Ranks 9th in India with 8.5 Lakh Stray Dogs
Gujarat has an estimated 8.5 lakh stray dogs, ranking 9th in India. Rapid urbanization, food waste, and weak sterilization programs contribute to the surge. The state aims to sterilize 50% of stray dogs by 2026. In recent years, Gujarat reported over 12 lakh dog-bite cases and several rabies fatalities.
Gujarat ranks 9th in India with an estimated 8.5 lakh stray dogs, according to a 2019 Animal Welfare Board of India survey, with a predicted 2% annual increase. Factors driving the population surge include rapid urbanization, rising garbage generation, and inadequate sterilization efforts by civic bodies. Nearly 49% of Gujarat's population lives in urban areas, where food waste is easily accessible to stray dogs. Coastal regions also see increased stray dog numbers due to marine waste. India generates 62 million tonnes of food waste annually, which supports the stray dog population, and about 70% of stray dogs breed without control. In the past four years, Gujarat reported 12,49,068 dog-bite cases and several rabies-related fatalities. Uttar Pradesh leads India with 20.6 lakh stray dogs, followed by Odisha and Maharashtra. Gujarat's sterilization rate is currently around 20%, far below the 70% target set by the AWBI. The state government aims to sterilize 50% of stray dogs by 2026. Maharashtra saw a 20% drop in dog-bite cases after sterilization, and Delhi's vaccination of 40% of stray dogs led to a significant reduction in rabies cases. The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognizance of the issue and directed chief secretaries of all states to appear before the court to explain their measures.
