India is home to an estimated 35 million stray dogs, a number so large it has become a normalized part of our daily lives. We call the “neighborhood doggy” by cute names and often feed them, seeing it as an act of compassion. But it’s time we have an honest conversation and acknowledge a difficult truth: stray dogs in India have become a menace, and our current approach is failing both humans and the animals themselves.
This isn’t a call to demonize these animals, but to call the problem for what it is. The issue goes far beyond the occasional nuisance. Stray dogs contribute to many deaths each year, either directly through attacks, indirectly when people run from them into traffic, or through the spread of rabies from bites. The reality is that these animals, descended from wolves, are living in the worst possible conditions, scavenging from garbage to survive. This is not a dignified existence.
Looking at the surge of dog attacks in the National Capital Region, the Supreme Court of India ordered officials in August 2025 to get stray dogs off the streets and into shelters. They were blunt, pointing out that our children and elderly are at risk and that ‘peaceful coexistence’ is a meaningless phrase when human lives are on the line. Let’s be clear: when the highest court in the country has to step in, it’s no longer a debate, it’s a full-blown crisis.
The Problem with “Compassion Without Responsibility”
Many of us believe we are helping by feeding the stray dogs in our area. While the intention is good, this act comes with serious downsides that affect the entire community. When you feed a stray dog without adopting it, you take the emotional upside, the loyalty and affection, while leaving the disadvantages for everyone else to handle.
These disadvantages are significant. The dogs you enable are the same ones that can make people feel unsafe during a late-night or early-morning walk. They are the ones who engage in loud “gang wars” at night and leave waste all over the community. Your love for a dog cannot become a public problem.
This conflict often highlights a class divide. It is frequently the case that the most vocal proponents of feeding strays in public are an upper-class cluster, insulated within gated communities. They can conveniently ignore the havoc these dog packs wreak on the urban poor, the delivery workers, street vendors, domestic helpers, and children in slums who have no choice but to navigate these dangers daily. The Supreme Court itself noted the particular risk to “people from a humble background who are not able to afford even a day’s meal, let alone the medical expenses” from dog bites.
A Path Forward: Sterilization, Adoption, and a Shift in Mindset
So, what is the solution? It is not to euthanize stray dogs. The solution must be humane, practical, and implemented on a national scale.
- Acknowledge the Problem: The first and most critical step is a mental shift. We cannot solve this issue until a majority of the population accepts that 35 million roaming animals is a genuine problem, not a cultural quirk. Physical action can only follow a change in mindset.
- Mass Sterilization: The government already has sterilization mandates, but they are not implemented fully. We need a genuine, widespread application of sterilization to ensure that stray dogs cannot continue to reproduce, humanely controlling the population over time.
- Promote Mass Adoption of Indian Dogs: We need to give the Indian Mongrel the dignity it deserves. Too often, they are seen as “down market” compared to expensive foreign breeds. A nationwide mass adoption drive could change this perception. Imagine the impact if a public figure like Prime Minister Narendra Modi were to adopt an Indian mongrel, showing the country that these dogs are worthy of a loving home.
Ultimately, we must raise our standards as a society. No animal should be left to scavenge on the streets. This also brings up a question of double standards. The same people who passionately defend feeding strays on Indian streets would not dare do so in a Western or Middle Eastern country, where such activities are rightly regulated with fines for the sake of public health and order. As a nation, we must stop accepting conditions that are rightly deemed unacceptable elsewhere.
If you truly love dogs, adopt one. Provide it with a home, care, and sterilization. Let’s work towards a future where our streets are safe for everyone, and our native dogs are in loving homes, not struggling to survive as a public menace.
Pol Ke Bol! 