Panvel’s Stray Dog Crisis Deepens: 5,662 Bitten In 8 Months, 19,000+ Dogs On Streets
Panvel Municipal Corporation recorded 5,662 stray dog bite cases between January and August 2026, amid an estimated population of 19,317 stray dogs. Experts have flagged the slow pace of sterilisation, with only 1,337 dogs sterilised between April 2025 and March 2026. The civic body is expanding sterilisation and anti-rabies vaccination efforts to address the growing menace.
Panvel’s Stray Dog Crisis Deepens: 5,662 Bitten In 8 Months, 19,000+ Dogs On Streets | Representative Image
Navi Mumbai: The growing number of stray dogs and rising incidents of dog bites have become a cause for concern in Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits. According to civic data, 5,662 people were bitten by stray dogs between January and August 2026, highlighting the need to strengthen measures to control the population of stray animals.
The issue has come into sharper focus following the incident in Kalyan-Dombivli where multiple people were reportedly bitten by stray dogs in a single day. In Panvel too, a stray dog had bitten five people in Kamothe last month, raising concerns among residents.
According to information provided by the PMC, there are currently around 19,317 stray dogs in its jurisdiction, besides an estimated 5,000 stray cats. To control their population and prevent the spread of rabies, the civic body has been conducting sterilisation and anti-rabies vaccination drives.
Between April 2025 and March 2026, the civic body sterilised 1,337 stray dogs and 338 cats. In addition, 16,859 stray dogs were administered anti-rabies vaccines in 2026, the civic administration said.
Meanwhile animal welfare experts have pointed out that the number of sterilisation procedures remains extremely low compared with the estimated stray dog population. They have called for an expansion of sterilisation facilities and a significant increase in the pace of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme.
Panvel's important nodes, including Kamothe, Kharghar, Taloja, New Panvel and Khanda Colony, have witnessed complaints about stray dogs. Residents have reported frequent incidents of dogs chasing and attacking pedestrians, particularly in Kamothe, Kharghar and Taloja.
The civic administration said adequate arrangements have been made at municipal hospitals for post-bite treatment. As of June 2026, around 1,200 anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) doses were available, allowing bite victims to receive timely treatment.
The PMC has said it is working to strengthen its sterilisation centre in view of the Supreme Court's recent directions concerning stray dogs.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
RECENT STORIES
-
-
-
-
-