Over 1.5 Lakh Stray Dogs In J&K Urban Areas, 2 Lakh Dog Bites Reported Despite Government Efforts

Srinagar: More than 150,000 dogs were counted in urban areas of Jammu and Kashmir in 2023, with Srinagar city alone having over 60,000 stray dogs. Despite multiple efforts by the government, including sterilisation and vaccination programs, more than two lakh dog bite cases were recorded in two years, raising public safety concerns across the region.

The startling figures were revealed by the Jammu and Kashmir Housing and Urban Development Department (H&UDD) in reply to a question by ruling party legislator Tanvir Sadiq in the ongoing budget session of the assembly.

The department, whose ministry portfolio is held by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, said that according to a population survey of the canines conducted in 2023, the number of stray dogs estimated in major urban centres of the UT are 1,52,775, and Srinagar city alone has 64,416 stray dogs.

No fresh population survey has been conducted after 2023 to know the exact number of stray dogs, which have probably increased manifold in the last two years.

With the increasing number of stray dogs in the union territory’s urban centres, the dog bite cases have also taken a spike despite the government claiming to have launched birth control programmes for these canines.

According to the health department, Jammu and Kashmir reported at least 2,06,460 dog bite cases in 2024 and 2025. In the Jammu division alone, 1,26,844 cases were recorded during this period, with incidents rising from 54,863 in 2024 to 71,981 in 2025.

The Kashmir Valley reported 79,616 dog bite cases in 2024 and 2025, with 38,902 cases in 2024 and 40,714 in 2025. Srinagar city recorded the highest number, with 35,174 cases among the valley’s 10 districts.

Despite the alarming number of dog bites and the growing stray dog population, the government’s sterilisation program is progressing slowly. The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) sterilised 21,600 dogs between September 2023 and September 2025, while the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) sterilised 13,730 dogs during the same period. Additionally, 7,870 dogs were sterilised in other urban local bodies under the Animal Birth Control program.

Regarding the steps proposed to address the growing public safety concerns, particularly for children and elderly citizens, in view of the rising stray dog population, the government said that it is actively implementing a structured and humane strategy for management of the stray dog population through sterilisation, vaccination, infrastructure augmentation and public safety measures

Among the measures taken, it said that Animal Birth Control (ABC) Centres have been increased from one to three centres in Jammu and additional centres in Srinagar. The ABC and Anti-Rabies Vaccination (ARV) programmes are being carried out continuously, and feeding spots have been designated away from schools, parks, and high footfall areas.

It said that, according to the directions of the Supreme Court, including fencing of vulnerable public spaces and nomination of nodal officers, have been done.

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