Srinagar, Oct 28: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday informed the Legislative Assembly that at least 212,968 dog bite cases have been reported across the Union Territory between 2022 and 2025.
Replying to a question raised by MLA Mubarak Gul, the Minister for Housing and Urban Development Department said that 212,968 people were bitten by dogs during the said period.
The minister also informed the House that a total of 48,998 stray dogs have been sterilized under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) program since September 2023.
The minister added that the sterilization drives were being carried out in coordination with municipal bodies and animal welfare organizations to control the stray dog population, particularly in urban areas of Srinagar and Jammu, where most bite incidents have been recorded.
In Srinagar, authorities sterilized and vaccinated over 14,000 dogs between June 2023 and October 2024, while the Jammu Municipal Corporation reported more than 17,000 similar procedures up to mid-2023. .
Despite the ongoing efforts, government acknowledged challenges such as limited facilities, a shortage of trained staff, and the need for better coordination between civic bodies and animal welfare groups. Data assessing the long-term impact of the ABC program on dog bite reduction is yet to be consolidated.
The program, supported by the Animal Welfare Board of India and executed through local urban bodies, seeks to address the stray dog population through humane and scientific measures rather than culling. [KNT]