Maharashtra Stray Dog Population Rises Sharply; 30 Lakh Bite Cases Reported In 3 Years: Govt

Mumbai, Feb 26: The state government informed the Assembly on Thursday that the population of stray dogs has increased significantly in both rural and urban areas over the past six years. However, he refuted claims that sufficient funds, specifically for stray dog control measures, were not allocated to local self-government bodies.

In a written reply to a question raised by Kashinath Date and other members, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that between 2021 and 2023, 30 lakh dog-bite cases were reported and 30 people died of rabies across the state.

The population of stray dogs has risen in the districts of Ahilyanagar, Sangli, Raigad and Jalna, as well as in the cities of Vasai-Virar, Bhiwandi and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Shinde said.

Measures to curb stray dog menace

Regarding the measures taken to tackle the issue, he said a government resolution dated January 5 directed the authorities to take steps to prevent the entry of stray dogs on premises falling under the tourism department.

Shinde further said that instructions were also passed to comply with the Supreme Court’s directions, issued in August 2025, regarding the feeding of stray dogs in public places, and sterilisation and vaccination drives.

The urban and rural development and panchayati raj departments conveyed the top court's directives to all urban and rural local bodies in the state in November 2025, Shinde added.

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Similarly, orders have also been issued for the implementation of the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, to ensure sterilisation and anti-rabies vaccination of stray dogs, he asserted.

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