MP’s Dhar Reports 14,000 Dog Bites In Nine Months, District Shelter Home Shut For Two Months

Dhar (Madhya Pradesh): Around 14,000 dog bite cases have been reported in Dhar district in the last nine months, yet the sterilisation campaign has stalled in most urban bodies, including the district headquarters. The figure emerges as the world promotes rabies awareness.

The shelter home built by Dhar Nagar Palika in Ganjikhana area to control street dogs has been closed for two months. Sterilisation there was to be carried out through an NGO.

Land has been allotted in Jetpura for an Animal Birth Control (ABC) Centre, but construction has not started due to lack of budget.

Other bodies in the district are in a similar state, as the campaign is not run regularly despite government instructions.

Every month, about 150 to 200 dog bite patients reach Government Bhoj Hospital, from both Dhar city and rural areas. A separate room has been set up for anti-rabies vaccination, and the vaccine is free at government hospitals.

However, patients remain concerned about its availability when needed. Experts warn that hungry street dogs may turn aggressive, raising the risk of bites.

Two incidents have raised questions about the system. On July 6, 2025, Sushmita Das, 60, a Gujarat resident visiting Mandu, was bitten by a dog but was denied an anti-rabies injection at the Mandu Primary Health Centre, which cited unavailability. The health department later suspended the doctor involved.

On June 14, 2026, three-year-old Hitanshi was attacked while playing outside her home in Bangla Billaud village, Nalcha police station area. Her face was severely scratched, and she was referred to Indore for plastic surgery.

Dr Sanjay Joshi, specialist at the district hospital, said rabies is dangerous and vaccination is the only protection. A full course of injections is essential after a bite, with no dose missed. Wounds should first be washed thoroughly with soap and running water.