Dog bites on the rise, rabies kills 20,000 annually: Chidambaram

India Jul 23, 2025

Dog bite cases are spiking in Tamil Nadu, with nearly 8,000 people needing anti-rabies shots just this year.
After a stray bit 11 people in Coimbatore, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram raised the issue in Parliament and demanded a national task force to tackle the crisis.

'India has around 62 million stray dogs'

India has around 62 million stray dogs, and rabies here causes over a third of global deaths from the disease.
Local efforts haven't worked—one rabid dog recently bit 29 people in Chennai.
Chidambaram says it's time for coordinated action so communities can feel safer and future attacks can be prevented.