Andhra Pradesh Sees Alarming Surge in Dog Bite Cases, 2.16 Lakh Victims in One Year
Kurnool: Andhra Pradesh has seen a sharp rise in dog bite cases, with more than 2.16 lakh people bitten last year. According to official data, the number of dog bite cases is increasing steadily every year.
The fact that the majority of the incidents originate from urban areas such as Vijayawada, Kurnool, Machilipatnam, Guntur and Ongole indicates that the danger of stray dogs is increasing in towns and cities.
Authorities say dog bite cases increase even more during the summer months. While primary health centers (PHCs) recorded an average of six cases per month until February, the number has now increased to 8-10 cases per month. Experts say that extreme heat causes irritation in dogs, which leads to aggressive behavior.
“When people enter their territory, they tend to bite more, mostly out of anger,” said a doctor at the Government Veterinary Hospital in Kurnool.
Recent events have caused anxiety among citizens. Expressing her sorrow over the lack of control over stray dogs in Kadapa’s Chinnachowk area, Susheela said, “While my daughter Akshaya was going to school, six to seven stray dogs chased and bit her.”
Obulamma of Kurnool town said a group of stray dogs attacked her eight-year-old son Sahadev, seriously injuring him. “We live in fear and demand the authorities to protect us,” he said.
District-wise data shows that Eluru recorded the highest number of nearly 16,000 cases this year. While Kurnool, Vijayawada, Prakasam, Vizianagaram and Nellore districts reported more than 12,000 cases each, Alluri Sitarama Raju district recorded the lowest at around 3,800 cases.
Authorities attribute the increase in the stray dog population to inadequate implementation of the sterilization program. Allegations of misuse of funds intended for dog population control have also emerged in some municipalities.
The AP government spends around ₹20 crore annually on anti-rabies vaccines (ARV) for dog bite victims. “We receive around 30 to 40 dog bite cases every month. We administer anti-rabies immunoglobulin injections free of charge,” said Dr Anil Kumar of Rajampet District Hospital in Kadapa district.
Dr. from an Emergency Health Center in Kuderu mandal of Anantapur district. “On an average, we see around 10 cases per month at our Primary Health Centre. This number may increase in summer months. ARV is always available. Victims must take all four doses,” said Manoj.
Despite spending more than ₹20 crore annually on vaccination and a similar amount on sterilization programmes, the number of dog bite cases continues to rise, raising serious public health concerns.
* Dog Bite Cases in Different Hospitals
Category Number of Hospitals Average monthly cases (per hospital)
PHC 1.144 8–10
UPHC 560 10–12
PRC 172 30–40
Regional Hospital 49 50–60
* Cases reported this year 2.16 lakh
