A tragic incident in Bengaluru on Tuesday led to the death of a four-year-old girl named Khadeera Banu, four months after she was viciously attacked by a stray dog in Davangere. Her demise, despite prolonged
treatment for “dumb rabies” at Rajiv Gandhi Hospital, has once again highlighted the persistent issue of stray dogs and reignited the debate on controlling such dangerous attacks.
The deaths of Khadeera Banu and two senior citizens who were also mauled by stray dogs, have intensified discussions on this issue. Recently, the Karnataka Lokayukta reprimanded the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for its lack of action and “shocking civic apathy” towards fatalities caused by these stray dog attacks, as reported by News18.
Officials and experts acknowledge that the problem goes beyond mere civic neglect. A senior animal husbandry official pointed out significant flaws in the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, stating, “Implementation is both the solution and the challenge.”
The ABC programme, which has been in place for years, aims to sterilise stray dogs to control their population. However, stray dog attacks and related deaths continue unabated. “The policy has failed on the ground. While sterilisation is being carried out, it is not reaching every dog. There are instances of sterilisation not being effective as well,” the officer explained.
According to the official, strict and scientific implementation of the ABC programme should have led to a reduction in the number of stray dogs, but this has not happened. Municipal authorities often treat the issue of stray dogs as a low priority compared to other pressing concerns like water, power, and infrastructure.
The Central Government recently reiterated its commitment to a humane and scientific approach to handling stray dogs, involving sterilisation, vaccination, and community care. This announcement was met with outcry from animal lovers and various quarters, including Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Maneka Gandhi, and Varun Gandhi. Reacting to the Supreme Court’s recent order on Delhi-NCR, Rahul Gandhi referred to blanket removals of strays as “cruel, shortsighted, and a step back from decades of humane policy.”
“These voiceless souls are not problems to be erased. Shelters, sterilisation, vaccination, and community care can keep streets safe — without cruelty,” Rahul Gandhi stated, a sentiment echoed by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Varun Gandhi, and former Union minister Maneka Gandhi. This instance saw the Gandhis united despite their political differences.
However, the ground reality in Karnataka reveals a stark gap between policy and practice. Establishing and maintaining shelters for stray dogs is a challenging task, and the idea of removing aggressive dogs seems practical only on paper, the senior official noted. Before Supreme Court interventions, the practice was to sterilise and release dogs back into their localities. Over time, this approach has proven ineffective.
Urban local bodies receive funds for the ABC programme but often pass them on to NGOs without monitoring outcomes. Not all NGOs reach the last mile, and ABC has not been efficiently implemented, as intended. The official suggested a mission-mode programme, akin to election or vaccination drives, with penalties for failure and a body to constantly monitor progress. Without such measures, the programme will remain intent without impact.
The Karnataka Lokayukta’s intervention last week followed an independent probe that exposed BBMP’s failure to establish observation homes for aggressive dogs. Lokayukta Justice BS Patil stated, “The civic body has not treated this as a serious problem.”
Khadeera Banu’s death, resulting from a stray dog mauling her face and body while playing inside her house in April, sent shock waves through the community. Despite multiple surgeries and advanced care in Bengaluru, she succumbed to rabies, underscoring the consequences of inadequate prevention.
“Deaths like these should not be happening. If proper sterilisation and vaccination had been done, and aggressive dogs segregated, this could have been avoided,” reiterated another senior officer in the animal husbandry department.
The issue has gained national attention after the Supreme Court ordered all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR to be removed from residential areas and permanently detained in shelters. Tamil Nadu quickly announced its intention to implement the order. State minister KN Nehru praised the directive and promised action once the official order was received.
However, activists criticised the move as a cover-up for local body failures. “In the last 25 years, crores have been spent on animal birth control. Had it been implemented properly by the governments, the problem would never have escalated to this level,” explained animal welfare groups.
The Supreme Court has warned that any organisation obstructing the implementation of its order would face “the strictest action.”
In Karnataka, the challenge is compounded by conflicting political messages from the Centre. Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the Supreme Court order as “a step back” has deepened the divide between advocates of humane solutions and proponents of quick-fix removals.
Ultimately, the debate in Karnataka circles back to one critical point: implementation. “Policies exist. Money exists. Intent exists. But unless we execute, vaccinate, sterilise, and monitor in a mission mode, the problem will only grow,” remarked an animal activist working on policy guidelines to address the stray dog menace.
