The Delhi stray dog issue has reached a boiling point. The Supreme Court’s order to capture and shelter all stray dogs stems from fear — fear of dog bites, fear of rabies, fear of tragedy.
But fear-driven policies don’t bring safety. They bring chaos.
The Myth of Mass Removal
Authorities argue that if dogs are removed, bites and rabies will stop. But evidence proves the opposite:
- Territorial gaps: Remove vaccinated dogs, and new, unvaccinated ones migrate in.
- Rabies protection drops: Vaccinated dogs provide herd immunity. Remove them, and risks grow.
- Conflict increases: Fear fuels cruelty, which makes dogs more aggressive, not less.
Global Lessons
- Thailand dramatically reduced rabies through CNVR (Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return).
- Brazil and Sri Lanka achieved success with mass vaccination, not mass removal.
- No country has solved the stray crisis through shelters or culling.
Why Rabies Control Must Be Science-Led
India records about 18,000–20,000 rabies deaths annually. Rabies is 100% preventable through vaccination. Yet instead of scaling up mass dog vaccination, authorities are chasing an unscientific shortcut.
The humane, science-backed solution: vaccinate at least 70% of the dog population. That’s the threshold to stop rabies transmission.
Fear vs. Safety
Fear may push citizens to demand quick fixes. But quick fixes built on fear rarely work. Safety requires vaccination, sterilisation, and awareness, not cruelty.
Conclusion
The Delhi dog ban order is rooted in fear, not fact. Fear won’t stop rabies. Vaccination will.
💙 We must choose science over fear, compassion over cruelty.