Protests Against Stray Dog ‘Menace’ Held in Delhi at Jantar Mantar

New Delhi: Former Union minister Vijay Goel led a major protest at Jantar Mantar on Sunday, spotlighting the growing threat posed by stray dog attacks and pressing authorities for decisive action.

According to a statement, the protest drew hundreds of participants, including representatives from over 100 resident welfare associations (RWAs) and NGOs operating across Delhi. Several victims of dog attacks also attended, sharing their personal stories with the crowd.

In his address, Goel claimed that India now has a stray dog population exceeding 120 million, with Delhi alone hosting more than 1.1 million dogs. He drew attention to that fact that approximately 20,000 people across the country suffer stray dog bites daily, with around 2,000 cases reported in Delhi alone.

Goel called for immediate, comprehensive sterilisation and vaccination of stray dogs and demanded amendments to the current Animal Birth Control Rules, arguing that the existing policies are not aligned with public safety concerns. He warned that without urgent intervention, "the stray dog population could eventually surpass the human population."

The protest briefly turned chaotic when a group of dog feeders clashed with demonstrators, forcing police officers on site to step in and restore order. Stray dogs were also seen wandering around the protest area. 

Goel alleged that attempts to organise meetings with resident welfare associations often face disruption from certain dog lover groups, who create disturbances and record videos rather than engaging meaningfully with residents' concerns. He pointed to the rising resentment among the public, fuelled by the increasing number of dog bite cases.

Citing a recent directive from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Goel urged all state governments to compensate dog bite victims. He also proposed that aggressive dogs be isolated in specially designated enclosures to better manage the risk they pose.

Turning to the issue of public health, Goel highlighted a shortage of anti-rabies vaccines, calling for a halt to their export and demanding regular monthly inspections of sterilisation centres to ensure accountability.

He sharply criticised the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for outsourcing sterilisation efforts to NGOs, alleging the system has become riddled with corruption. Instead, Goel advocated for the MCD to take full, direct responsibility for sterilisation programs.

To maintain pressure for change, the former minister announced plans to continue engaging with resident welfare associations, visiting public parks, and meeting officials, ministers, and the mayor to push for concrete action on Delhi’s growing stray dog crisis.