Most states in India have been killing stray dogs for decades. The idea came
from ‘developed countries’ without understanding the very different
urban conditions in India. India has rubbish dumps and slum areas, which attract
strays. killing stray dogs has proved completely ineffective in controlling
rabies or the dog population. This is because dogs removed are easily replaced.
Dogs breed around twice a year, having litters of several pups. Two dogs can
become hundreds in not many years. They are also highly territorial, with each
dog having its ‘own area’.
When a dog is taken away:
· His territory becomes vacant and dogs from around move in to occupy
the area.
· Dogs continue to multiply, so the areas are soon filled again.
· Dog fights increase, because each time a new dog enters an area he
is attacked by the dogs already in there.
· Dog fights continue to take place over mating.
· And during dog fights many humans get accidentally bitten.
· Rabies spreads to humans, due to none of the dogs being vaccinated.
· Rabies continues to spread because the dog-catchers are reluctant to
pick up a rabid dog – so only healthy dogs get killed.
As long as rubbish dumps and slum areas continue to exist, dog-killing programmes
will not work. The circle of an unstable, constantly changing, rapidly multiplying
and rabies-carrying dog population will continue.
Government sources in India claim that over half of human rabies deaths are
caused by unvaccinated pets, so the killing of strays has no impact on human
rabies.