By Dr Yashna Bahri Singh
Removing dogs from our streets won’t fix the dangers that truly threaten our safety.
In a country where speeding, potholes, and crime claim thousands of lives each year, it’s baffling that our street dogs are being treated as the biggest threat.
The Supreme Court’s recent order to remove street dogs from public spaces and place them in shelters is being seen by some as a quick fix to safety concerns. But let’s be honest—this is not a fix. It’s a distraction. It’s easier to target a voiceless animal than to confront the real dangers that kill thousands of Indians every year.
Look at the numbers: in 2022, 11,698 lives were lost to speeding and drunk driving. Another 1,856 were killed because of potholes—gaping wounds in our roads that authorities fail to repair. And how many deaths from dog bites? Just 21. Yet somehow, street dogs have become the problem we are in a hurry to remove.
This is misplaced urgency. Where is this same energy when a woman is assaulted walking home at night? When a child is thrown off a two-wheeler because a pothole swallowed the road? When reckless drivers turn streets into danger zones? If safety is truly the aim, we must start with the hazards that claim thousands of lives—not dozens.
Yes, stray dogs can be a nuisance, and yes, rabies is a concern. But the answer is not sweeping them away into shelters—it’s science and compassion. Sterilisation is a proven, humane method to control their population over time. When backed by consistent government effort, sterilisation ensures that the number of dogs on the streets naturally and permanently declines.
And let’s not forget: removing dogs from the streets entirely may have unintended consequences. These animals help keep urban rat populations in check. Without them, cities could face rodent infestations that spread dangerous diseases—a public health crisis far worse than the problem we set out to solve.
There’s also the matter of principle. Our Constitution and cultural ethos urge compassion toward all living beings. Street dogs didn’t choose to live on the roads; they are there because of human neglect. To uproot them entirely without addressing the root cause is not justice—it’s avoidance.
Let’s be clear: relocating dogs will not automatically make streets safer. The drunk driver will still speed. The pothole will still break bones. The streetlight will still be out when a woman walks home alone. True safety doesn’t come from removing the easiest target—it comes from fixing the hardest problems.
India needs a safety policy grounded in reality. That means repairing roads, enforcing traffic laws, installing proper street lighting, improving policing, and running sterilisation drives to manage stray populations humanely. Anything less is not safety—it’s theatre.
We owe it to ourselves, and to the voiceless creatures who share our cities, to focus on real solutions. Removing dogs from the streets may look like action, but without tackling the larger threats, it’s nothing more than an illusion of progress.
(Dr Yashna Bahri Singh is a Psychologist, Educator and Mental Health Advocate. She is Director, Wonderwell Foundation.)
