Stray dog menace continues to rise in Odisha, over 2.43 lakh dog bite cases reported in 10 months

In yet another instance of rising animal-human conflicts in Odisha, stray dogs have come across as a major culprit in contributing to both lethal and non-lethal casualties. Alarming statistics in this regard were recently shared in the State Assembly on Thursday.

Gokula Nanda Mallik, Minister of Fisheries and Animal Resources Development of Odisha informed the House that the problem of stray dogs is escalating in the state, with over 5 lakh people bitten in the past two years.

Continuing further, the minister noted that in the last 10 months alone, over 2,43,565 individuals became victims of dog bites. Notably, in the previous year, over 2.6 lakh people faced similar incidents.

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In addition to this, an estimated 17 lakh stray dogs are presently roaming across the state, said Mallik.

The figures present a reality of the situation where several reports of stray dog-related incidents are shared on a daily basis from several parts of Odisha. Moreover, few of these reports have unfortunately also documented direct fatalities by strays.

Less than a month ago, an elderly woman of Jayanarayanpur village under Bhograi block in Balasore district was mauled to death by dogs when she was sitting outside her home, killing her on the spot.

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However, in the same statement, the minister announced that efforts to address the issue were underway. Over 4,605 stray dogs were sterilized in eight urban areas of the state, with plans in full swing to make Odisha rabies-free by 2030.