Delhi’s Stray Dog Dilemma - Rehabilitation or Resentment?

New Delhi: The escalating number of dog bite incidents has prompted the Delhi High Court to instruct the city administration to implement a ‘rehabilitation’ policy for community dogs. But does this approach truly address the heart of the issue? Once again, residents and animal advocates find themselves on opposite sides as the debate heats up.

Many locals, particularly those who have faced aggressive encounters with stray dogs, believe this measure is overdue. “In every RWA meeting, the issue of stray dogs comes up and it’s embarrassing to know that guests who visit our neighbourhood get chased or bitten by street dogs. In just the last three months we have had two such incidents,” says Anand Goel, president, Vivek Vihar Residents Welfare Association (RWA), who adds, “We have been trying to find a solution to the dog menace for so long and this step is in the right direction. Why can’t we place the strays in shelters for the betterment of both the residents and dogs?”
“Leaving aside the biting incidents, some stray dogs in my society bark all night long and are a severe noise nuisance, especially to the elderly and sick persons living here,” shares Rohan Mehta, a Rohini-based entrepreneur who recently spearheaded a local initiative to remove strays from his area. He remarks, “I care about animals, but the grievances of residents matter equally.”

For animal lovers and activists, the proposal to “rehabilitate community dogs at an institutional level” is nothing short of a nightmare. “It’s a harsh and misguided move since relocating dogs causes them huge trauma,” says Jigyasa Dhingra, founder of PawsInPaws, who has assisted in sterilising over 100 dogs. She explains, “Such a drive is inhumane because many dogs get injured or even die in the process. These strays have lived their entire lives on the streets. In such a scenario, we need long-term, compassionate solutions like vaccination and mass sterilisation to curb their overpopulation.”

“Stray dogs aren’t a problem unless you make them one,” asserts Raunak, a second-year student at Delhi University’s Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), where the question of community dogs has long been contentious. He continues, “Our campus dogs are our friends. Sure they act out sometimes, but that’s where we step in. If every neighbourhood had a group of volunteers to check in on strays, get them vaccinated, designate their feeding zones, and get them treated whenever needed — that’s enough to make it work!”