Mumbai, October 9, 2026: The Bombay High Court has sought details of Maharashtra’s stray dog population, the number of dogs sterilised and the availability of anti-rabies vaccines, asking the state government to provide updated figures to assess the effectiveness of measures to control dog attacks and rabies.
A bench of Chief Justice MC Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna was hearing a suo motu case concerning stray dog attacks and rabies incidents, following a Supreme Court direction to high courts to monitor the issue in their respective states.
Details Of Sterilisation Measures Sought
The court sought details of the steps taken by the state Animal Husbandry Department, including funds allocated for controlling the stray dog population and the number of dogs yet to be sterilised.
Senior advocate Mihir Desai, appointed as amicus curiae to assist the court, said reliable data on the total stray dog population was necessary to assess the impact of sterilisation programmes. He also flagged gaps in access to rabies treatment.
According to a note submitted by Desai, 150,594 dogs had been sterilised in urban local bodies over the preceding six months. However, 128 of the state’s 831 government hospitals did not have anti-rabies vaccines, while 381 lacked rabies immunoglobulin.
Gaps In Helplines And Shelters
Desai also pointed out that a dedicated helpline for dog-bite incidents had not been provided. He raised concerns over the absence of a state animal welfare board and sought details of shelters complying with the Animal Welfare Board of India’s guidelines for managing stray dogs in institutional premises.
The note stated that of 19,694 dogs found within urban institutions, only 1,479, or around 7.5%, had been shifted to shelters. For rural areas, the government affidavits listed relocation data as “Not Applicable”.
Government Submits Sterilisation Data
Government pleader OA Chandurkar told the court that a consolidated chart had been prepared showing sterilisation figures from municipal corporations, councils and rural areas. The data included 13,382 sterilisation procedures carried out in September 2026.
Advocate Zal Andhyarujina, appearing for a stray dog welfare organisation, said Mumbai had census data and claimed that around 75% of the city’s stray dogs had been sterilised.
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Updated Figures Due By November 2
The court had earlier directed the state to “aggressively” implement the animal birth control programme. The government said a livestock census conducted every five years could help estimate the population and assured the court it was open to suggestions.
The bench directed the state to submit an updated chart by November 2.
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