New Delhi: A new empirical study on human and street dog interactions across ten cities reports that an overwhelming majority of Indians view free ranging dogs as "friendly, non aggressive and essential to neighbourhood safety."
The findings come months after the Supreme Court highlighted the absence of data on dog bite incidents during a hearing on stray dogs, drawing calls for stronger evidence based policymaking.
Here's what the study says
The study by researchers Meghna Bal and Aaqib Qayoom of the Esya Centre surveyed 1,063 respondents and records significant shifts in public perception and health outcomes. It notes a 90 percent decline in reported human deaths from rabies, from 534 in 2004 to 54 in 2024. Between 2022 and 2025, 126 rabies related deaths were recorded nationwide.
When asked about the temperament of free ranging dogs in their area, 73.5 percent of respondents described them as friendly and 15 percent as timid. Only 10.8 percent said the dogs in their locality were aggressive. The report also found strong links between human behaviour and animal responses. It states that when people consistently treat community dogs kindly, the animals are more approachable and less likely to view humans as a threat.
A total of 91.4 percent of respondents said neighbourhood dogs helped deter criminal activity, while 52.21 percent felt their presence enhanced the safety of women and children. The study also notes that 96 percent of those surveyed feel “very safe” in their area because of community dogs. Nearly 52 percent reported that street dogs helped keep rats and monkeys away.
Religious practices, policy gaps and calls for a new urban approach
The researchers highlight the cultural dimension of dog feeding, noting that 74 percent of dog feeders see it as part of their religious practice. The report says this is linked to the roles dogs play in Indian epics and their association with several deities.
At the same time, the study warns that existing urban challenges do not stem from the presence of community dogs alone. It attributes conflicts, bites and uneven dog populations to gaps in municipal planning, waste management and inconsistent implementation of the Animal Birth Control Rules.
The report urges policymakers to move away from removal driven responses and instead focus on stronger reporting systems, community involvement and effective sterilisation and vaccination programmes. It recommends revising the Animal Bite Reporting Form and introducing a separate field to record whether the biting dog was a pet or a free ranging dog.
It also proposes collaboration between municipal authorities and local feeders by designating them as ‘lokyutas’ so that sterilised dogs can be returned to their original areas and ABC protocols can be implemented more reliably.
