On World Rabies Day, dog bite survivors share fear, hope, and science

Kozhikode: On World Rabies Day 2025, with the theme “Act now: You, Me, Communities”, Mathrubhumi spoke to survivors of dog bites across India regarding the Supreme Court’s modified order on stray dog management that has reopened a nationwide debate — between public safety, animal welfare, and the prevention of rabies, a fatal but preventable disease.

On August 22, a Bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria clarified that captured stray dogs must be sterilised, dewormed, vaccinated, and released back into the same locality — barring rabid or dangerously aggressive ones.

The Court also banned feeding strays on public roads, mandating dedicated feeding zones in every municipal ward. It called for a “holistic approach” balancing human concerns and animal welfare.

The accounts of survivors reveal fear, empathy, and frustration — and a strong call for responsible action.

‘Maybe it bit me in self-defence’

Rohan A from Mulund, Mumbai, recalled how a midnight encounter near a temple turned painful: “I went ahead and pet that dog, it suddenly bit me and ran away. Maybe it got afraid and bit me in self-defence.”

Though the wound was minor, he immediately got an anti-rabies vaccine. Despite the scare, he opposed a blanket ban on strays:

“Even if I had a bitter experience, I don’t agree with the Supreme Court’s earlier decision to remove all dogs. The society requires dogs and cats. We should rather take proper care of them by vaccinating and sterilising them.”

A puppy in distress, a bite in confusion

In Kolkata’s Khardah, Aniket Majumdar described being bitten while trying to rescue a puppy stuck in an iron gate:

“An adult dog, probably the puppy’s mother, reacted in fear that I might harm the kid further and attempted to bite me. Thankfully, a local person helped free the puppy.” He appreciated the new ruling but flagged a gap:

“I agree with most of the SC’s revised verdict, but what if the municipality doesn’t create proper feeding zones? Then people will still feed dogs on the roads.”

‘Vaccination is mandatory for street bites’

Dog rescuer Illina Gupta, who has been bitten multiple times, stressed the need for clear-headed science: “If the dog belongs to someone with up-to-date vaccination papers, no further shots are needed. But vaccination is absolutely mandatory for bites from street dogs.” She warned against exaggerated fears:

“Rabies happens from rabid dogs, not vaccinated dogs. And if you’ve worked with dogs, you know which ones might be rabid.”

‘Would you risk your life on that?’

Rustam, a Delhi resident, was blunt: “Yes, the owner says his dog is vaccinated, the street dog may also be. Are you willing to risk your life on that, though? Probably not. Hence, we get our shots again and again.” Comparing it to water safety, he said:

“The govt says every tap water source is safe. Yet you use a filter, don’t you? Same with dog bites. Rabies is 100% fatal once it shows symptoms. I value my life too much to gamble.”

Rabies myths vs facts

Speaking to Mathrubhumi, Dr Sumedh Niture, Junior Vet Consultant at Pet Ozone Pet Clinic, Pimple Saudagar, Pune, emphasised the need to separate myths from facts about rabies.

“Rabies does not spread simply through touch or being near a dog. Transmission happens only when the virus in an animal’s saliva enters the body through a bite, scratch, or mucous membranes,” he clarified.

Contrary to common fears, not all street dogs are carriers of rabies — only a small percentage of unvaccinated dogs may pose a risk. He added that it is 100 percent preventable through preventive anti-rabies vaccination as per schedule.

“Vaccinating only pet dogs is not enough — community-wide dog vaccination is the proven way to break the chain of transmission,” Dr Niture stressed.

Drawing on his experience working with NGOs and animal shelters, Dr Niture highlighted that sterilisation and mass vaccination of strays are critical to controlling rabies in the long run.

Commenting on the Supreme Court’s recent verdict on stray dogs, he said the approach reflects a balanced outlook that safeguards both community animals and human populations. “It recognises the need for coexistence while keeping public health at the forefront,” he said.

Mumbai-based veterinarian Dr Brijesh Raj explained that even scratches carry some risk: “It is possible. If the animal is infected with the virus and licks its paws before scratching a person, transmission can occur, though the probability is low.”

Globally, rabies kills around 59,000 people every year, mostly in Asia and Africa. The World Health Organisation has set the target of zero human rabies deaths by 2030 through mass dog vaccination and community awareness.