Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Supreme Court’s ruling on the removal of street dogs from public places has come as a major relief to Indore, a city worst affected by canine bite cases in the state.
In compliance with the apex court’s directive, the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) has decided to remove stray dogs from sensitive locations such as educational institutions, hospitals, bus stands and depots. Officials said that the animals would be sterilized and vaccinated before being shifted to other designated areas as per the SC order.
Hailing the SC order, Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav told the Free Press that this order was good for Indore and every point of the order would be followed.
After dealing with worsening traffic conditions, Indoreans are now facing another growing civic challenge, the uncontrolled street dog population. The city has recorded the highest number of dog bite cases in Madhya Pradesh, making it the most affected in the state.
According to data from the National Health Mission, Indore reported a staggering 58,508 dog bite cases in 2024, the highest in the state. Continuing the trend, from January to June 2025, more than 30,304 cases have already been registered, again keeping Indore on top of the list.
Experts said the increasing number of unsterilized dogs, lack of proper vaccination and easy food availability on the streets were all responsible for the problem.
In a significant development, the Supreme Court on Friday issued directions to relocate stray dogs from sensitive public areas, including government and private educational institutions, hospitals, sports complexes, bus depots and railway stations, to designated shelters after sterilization and vaccination.
Zoo in charge Dr Uttam Yadav said that since 2014, ABC centres were working for dog sterilisation. Indore was home to more than 2.5 lakh dogs out of which more than two lakh were sterilized and the exercise was continuing in the city.
“We have as many as seven shelter homes with a capacity of 400-500 dogs and if required, we are capable of developing more such shelter homes,” said Dr Yadav.
He also claimed that the canine population had been drastically controlled in the city with the ABC programme for the past 11 years. However, on dog bite cases, he said that various factors could be considered as reasons for dog bites.
He highlighted that extreme weather, lack of food and absence of sterilization often triggered aggression in stray dogs, resulting in frequent attacks, especially during the winter breeding season.
City Dog Bites (Jan–Jun 2025)
Indore 58,508 30,304
Bhopal 19,28510, 795
Jabalpur 13,6196, 942
Gwalior11,9025, 621
Ujjain 10,2964, 875
Ratlam 1,131596
Reasons why street dogs become aggressive
Lack of sterilization: Experts say sterilization keeps a dog’s hormones balanced. Without it, dogs tend to become more aggressive.
Feeling insecure: Female dogs give birth every six months. To protect their puppies, they become extra alert and aggressive. No anti-rabies vaccination: If dogs don’t get their anti-rabies shots on time, behavioural changes occur, often making them irritable or violent.
Irregular feeding: Experts also point out that the lack of regular food in cities is a major cause of aggressive behaviour among stray dogs.
Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav said, “We welcome this order of the apex court and implementation will be done as quickly as possible. Indore has made remarkable progress in sterilization and vaccination and much of the dog population is vaccinated, so we are required to only relocate the dogs.”
