Amid the national debate over the stray dog crisis, data suggests a spike of rabies deaths in Hyderabad. Rabies-caused deaths increased from 8 in 2022 to 32 in 2025, the Times of India reported, quoting the Government Fever Hospital – the nodal centre for treating dog bite cases.
According to the report, dog bite cases also increased sharply from 31,000 cases in 2022 to 42,000 in 2024. Doctors blame the failure of the sterilisation programme for the increase in dog bites and rabies cases.
The Telangana government recently told the Supreme Court that they have sterilised over 3 lakh of the 3.8 lakh stray dogs in Hyderabad and over 40,000 of them in smaller towns. It is estimated by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) that the city has between 50,000 and 60,000 stray dogs in the city which are neither vaccinated nor sterilised.
The Supreme Court on November 7 had directed all states and union territories to “forthwith” remove stray dogs from the premises of educational institutions, hospitals, sports complexes, bus stands and depots, and railway stations, and relocate them “to a designated shelter” after due sterilisation and vaccination in accordance with the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, framed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
In line with this order, the GHMC has launched the relocation of stray dogs beginning with government hospitals.
On the first day of the drive, 277 dogs were caught and shifted to GHMC Animal Care Centres for sterilisation, vaccination and management, Deccan Chronicle reported.
GHMC Commissioner RV Karnan told The Hindu that they have enough shelters. He promised to build new kennels if the dog population increases.
While the relocation is currently focused on government hospitals, it will be extended to other public places, including schools, colleges and others shortly, GHMC said.