Patna: Bihar is grappling with a growing stray dog problem, as sterilisation and vaccination campaigns in the capital remain suspended for over a year. The issue, underscored by a recent Supreme Court order directing Delhi-NCR authorities to relocate strays to shelters, has reignited debate on animal management across India.
The Ministry of Animal Husbandry’s 2025 report estimates between 1.4 million and 2.4 million stray dogs in Bihar, with the streets of Patna increasingly overrun. The state’s economic survey for 2023–24 shows dog bite cases surged from 9,809 in 2021–22 to 207,181 in 2022–23 — a near 200-fold increase. On average, 600 people are attacked daily, with Patna district recording the highest number of cases at 22,599.
While rabies deaths remain relatively low, the risk persists. Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) data records one death in 2022, three in 2023, and two in 2024.
Bihar’s Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, designed to manage stray populations through sterilisation and rabies vaccination, has seen limited success due to inadequate shelters, a shortage of trained staff, and alleged misuse of funds. Amendments to ABC rules in 2023 mandated monitoring committees at state and local levels, but full implementation is pending.
In Patna, sterilisation had been managed by the NGO Patna Research and Welfare Centre (PRWC) under the ‘Pashu Mitra’ scheme, in partnership with the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC). The programme, which targeted 30 dogs a day at a cost of Rs 1,000 per animal, halted last year after People for Animals (PFA) filed a public interest litigation alleging cruelty and the use of a blacklisted contractor.
PRWC official Arvind Kumar confirmed they had regained permission to resume operations in the PMC area, pending a Project Recognition Certificate from their Delhi headquarters. “Once we receive it, we will restart sterilisation alongside anti-rabies vaccination under the ABC programme. Allegations against us have been proven false,” he said.
Medical professionals have stressed the urgency of preventive measures. Dr Manoj Kumar, superintendent at New Gardiner Road Hospital in Patna, said: “We administer around 100 anti-rabies vaccines daily, 60–70 of which are new cases. The vaccine is only available in government hospitals, and timely administration is critical to prevent fatal infection.”
