India’s Complex Relationship with Street Dogs: A Love-Hate Story

In the streets, parks, and bustling markets of India, dogs roam freely with a sense of calm and command, living lives that might seem regal compared to their counterparts in other parts of the world. These are not your ordinary street dogs; their lives are cushioned by a wave of public affection and an underlying sense of entitlement. While many of them wear an air of indifference or melancholy, others strut around, basking in the attention, their bellies full from the treats that generous passersby offer.

1) In India, street dogs are often a sight to behold. They are not restricted to alleyways or hidden corners; rather, they roam around busy roundabouts, crowded sidewalks, and even public parks, all with an ease that most other animals could only dream of. They are chubby and drowsy, yet always alert, as though they know the city belongs to them. Whether napping on the pavement or sauntering through a market, these dogs show no sign of fear or discomfort. Their lives seem to have the luxurious ease of a constant picnic.
2) Tuk-tuks slow down, motorists take care to avoid them, and people—whether locals or tourists—tend to dote on them. Volunteers regularly offer food, ensuring the dogs are well-fed, and their appetites are insatiable. These street dogs are accustomed to being pampered, and their care is often bolstered by religious beliefs. Hinduism, which views dogs as sacred and associated with loyalty and protection, contributes to their revered status in the country. Dogs have a long history of being admired for their faithfulness, and this cultural perspective often results in an increased sense of respect and care from the public.
However, this devotion comes with its challenges. While many dogs roam with a carefree attitude, there’s a growing concern about their presence in urban areas. A few months ago, the Delhi High Court raised concerns about the increasing territoriality of these dogs. A judge observed that the growing number of people feeding the dogs was leading to their becoming overly territorial, even aggressive.
Dogs, who, used to such a pampered set-up within the compound, started to attack any person who would get lost around them- like children and unsuspecting passersby.
3) In fact, last year two young brothers were fatally mauled by a pack of stray dogs in a suburb of the Indian capital; this assault was just another case of an ongoing war with unattended dogs on the streets. India has been battling a horrific public health emergency in terms of rabies. More than sixty million stray dogs are estimated to wander the country, accounting for the largest single source of the 36% of global deaths from rabies annually. The situation has become so dire that it has even claimed the life of Parag Desai, a 49-year-old executive from a prominent Delhi tea company, who died after falling while trying to escape an attack by street dogs.
4) The conflict between public affection for these dogs and the rising safety concerns is creating a difficult balancing act for authorities and citizens alike. In late 2024, a Delhi High Court bench expressed its frustration over the city’s stray dog problem, calling it a unique and troubling situation. “The city has been taken over,” said Chief Justice Manmohan, along with Justice Tushar Gedela. “Nowhere in the world will you find a whole city taken over by dogs and monkeys. It’s become impossible to walk the main streets, let alone take your pet out for a walk without the risk of being attacked.”
One term that has been criticized is the street compassion that is offered by courts to dogs, especially in urban areas where their numbers are growing and are disruptive too. As stray dogs get more and more territorial, particularly gradually really aggressive in an overwhelming manner, one issue over and over again is being prompted- the decade-long clamor about how huge populations of them would be managed and yet balanced with everyone’s safety.
5) With the ongoing debate, people would like to know whether the solution is mere strict enforcement of existing rules on feeding and managing dogs, as well as that of looking at public attitudes towards street animals. Some arguments about spoiling street animals state that it encouraged a feeling of entitlement, while some believe in practice such as sterilization or vaccination as a humane way of controlling the population.
At the heart, the central issue is a much larger question: what role animals play in Indian society, and where the balance between compassion and safety lies. Dogs, considered by many as sacred and thereby deserving of care, also beg the bigger question of what is going to be done about an increasingly difficult impediment to managing their numbers and ensuring public safety.
As India learns to accept the entanglement or engagement, love-struggle go-on for dogs with India’s streets; whether they finally return to order, at the pampered comforts of street dogs in India, only time will prove. One thing though is: co-existence-or otherwise-of these animals is something all set to become a matter hotly debated to define the future of upcoming years.