Ahmedabad is facing a growing stray dog crisis as new data from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) reveals that 66,136 people were bitten by stray dogs between January and October 2025 — an average of 181 cases every day.
The alarming figures come as the Supreme Court, led by Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria, expressed concern over the rise in dog-bite incidents and directed the removal of stray dogs from schools, hospitals, and transport hubs.
Stray population out of control
The city has an estimated 2.10 lakh stray dogs, with 1.92 lakh already sterilised and vaccinated. Yet, the frequency of dog bites suggests that nearly one in every four dogs has attacked someone this year, leaving civic authorities overwhelmed.
AMC runs out of space
The Supreme Court’s order that vaccinated strays cannot be released back into the same areas has created a major challenge for the AMC. Currently, the civic body operates only five shelters and two converted cattle ponds, together accommodating around 5,000 dogs. There’s also a small centre for 100 sick dogs, leaving no room for thousands more.
“Dogs cannot be kept in groups like cattle; they need separate enclosures, or they will attack each other. This makes housing them very difficult,” an AMC official explained.
To address the shortage, AMC is building two new shelters — one in Lambha and another in Vastral — each with a capacity of 200 dogs. However, they will only be ready by early 2026, offering little immediate relief.
Numbers may rise further
AMC has also issued tenders for a new stray dog census in recently added city zones, which officials say will likely increase the total count further — worsening the shelter crisis.
State government steps in
State Health Minister Praful Pansheriya said the government is fully committed to implementing the Supreme Court’s directions. “It is painful to see so many dog-bite cases. We will ensure all guidelines are followed within the set timeframe,” he said.
No facilities in new districts
While major cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, and Rajkot have limited facilities for sterilisation and shelters, many new districts and municipal areas lack any such infrastructure, making state-wide compliance with the Supreme Court order even harder.