What TN is doing to address stray dog menace

Tamil Nadu is witnessing a sharp rise in dog attacks. In the first three months of 2025 alone, the state recorded 1.24 lakh dog bite cases and four rabies deaths. The year 2024 saw 6.42 lakh such cases and 34 rabies fatalities — the highest in five years.

Also read: Kerala rabies deaths: Oppn blames Kerala govt; minister says Centre at fault

Chennai has reported over 17,000 dog attacks by mid-2023. Even senior government officials haven’t been spared — IAS officer Uma Maheswari was bitten during a morning walk in Royapettah.

Government response

On May 2, Chief Minister M K Stalin held a high-level meeting to address the crisis. He ordered:

A statewide dog census

Vet training to strengthen the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme

Microchipping all dogs in Chennai within two months

Better infrastructure and funding for sterilisation and anti-rabies vaccinations

These steps aim to bring down the number of stray dogs and control rabies.

ABC programme under strain

Despite spending thousands of rupees per sterilisation (Rs 7,000 per dog), the stray dog population keeps growing. Critics point to poor execution, lack of transparency, and public feeding practices.

Feeding stray dogs in public areas, while well-intentioned, is leading to pack formations and increased aggression, particularly toward children and the elderly.

“Well-fed dogs are forming packs, chasing people, and even wildlife,” said activist Muralidharan.

Legal backing and urgency

India’s laws allow humane euthanasia for aggressive strays. The Madras High Court recently ordered the removal of dangerous dogs from IIT Madras. The Supreme Court has also prioritised human safety over dog rights.

But implementation remains slow, raising concerns about people’s safety.

Widespread impact

Stray dog attacks affect the children, elderly and disabled people.

Children are often bitten while playing

Elderly persons fear going for walks

Disabled people are unable to escape dog attacks

The crisis also threatens public health (rabies), causes noise pollution, and harms wildlife.

What’s the solution?

Experts and activists suggest:

Building shelters to house strays

Banning public feeding in open spaces

Humane euthanasia for aggressive or terminally ill dogs

They also demand that the ABC programme be fixed and monitored, and Stalin’s orders be fast-tracked.

“We need transparent execution, not just announcements,” said activist Muralidharan.

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