Odisha Dog Bite Epidemic: Over 500,000 Cases in Two Years | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: Odisha reported over 2.43 lakh dog bite cases in the past 10 months and five lakh cases in two years, fisheries and animal resources development minister Gokulananda Mallik told the assembly on Wednesday. He was replying to a question from Rayagada MLA Kadraka Appalaswamy, who wanted to know how many people were bitten by stray dogs in the state in 2023 and 2024. “In 2023 and 2024 (till the end of October), 502,672 dog bite cases were reported. Under Animal Birth Control (ABC), 2023, the local municipality and urban local body obtained a project recognition certificate (PRC) from the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBA) to carry out the ABC programme. In the 2022-23 financial year, in eight urban areas, 4,605 stray dogs were sterilised,” the minister replied.
Between January and October this year, 2.43 lakh dog bite cases were reported, while last year it was 2.59 lakh cases. Considering the past 10 months’ dog bite cases this year, the state reported around 24,000 cases every month. The written reply revealed that in January and February this year, 33,547 and 32,561 dog bite cases were reported, the highest in both years.
“October and November are the breeding months for stray dogs, and in January and February, their population rises. So, the rise in bite cases is justified. The agencies (urban bodies), according to the latest rule, have not obtained PRC from AWBA, for which the ABC programme has come to a standstill. For more than 18 months, the local bodies have not been sterilising the stray dogs,” said Jivan Ballav Das, the secretary of an NGO that works for the welfare of stray dogs.
He informed the house that the state has 17.34 lakh stray dogs. The ABC programme also hit a roadblock because animal rights activist Biswajit Pradhan moved the Orissa high court, making the govt a party and alleging mismanagement in birth control surgeries across the state due to a lack of a state monitoring and implementation committee for animal birth control. Because of the pan-Odisha stay on ABC by high court, sterilisation couldn’t proceed. After the govt gave in writing that it formed the state monitoring and implementation committee, the HC disposed of the writ petition.
Sources said that among the towns and cities, Bhubaneswar reports the highest number of dog bite cases daily, with 180 cases.
Between January and October this year, 2.43 lakh dog bite cases were reported, while last year it was 2.59 lakh cases. Considering the past 10 months’ dog bite cases this year, the state reported around 24,000 cases every month. The written reply revealed that in January and February this year, 33,547 and 32,561 dog bite cases were reported, the highest in both years.
“October and November are the breeding months for stray dogs, and in January and February, their population rises. So, the rise in bite cases is justified. The agencies (urban bodies), according to the latest rule, have not obtained PRC from AWBA, for which the ABC programme has come to a standstill. For more than 18 months, the local bodies have not been sterilising the stray dogs,” said Jivan Ballav Das, the secretary of an NGO that works for the welfare of stray dogs.
He informed the house that the state has 17.34 lakh stray dogs. The ABC programme also hit a roadblock because animal rights activist Biswajit Pradhan moved the Orissa high court, making the govt a party and alleging mismanagement in birth control surgeries across the state due to a lack of a state monitoring and implementation committee for animal birth control. Because of the pan-Odisha stay on ABC by high court, sterilisation couldn’t proceed. After the govt gave in writing that it formed the state monitoring and implementation committee, the HC disposed of the writ petition.
Sources said that among the towns and cities, Bhubaneswar reports the highest number of dog bite cases daily, with 180 cases.
