Stray Dog Menace in Pune: Corporator Aishwarya Pathare Demands Survey, Sterilisation Drive

Pune, 18th March 2026: Concerns over the rising number of stray dogs and the growing risk to public health and safety were raised in the general body meeting of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Tuesday. Corporator Aishwarya Surendra Pathare from Ward 3 (Lohgaon–Viman Nagar) urged the civic administration to take immediate and concrete action to control the stray dog population and prevent attacks on citizens.

Raising the issue during the meeting, Aishwarya said the increasing number of stray dogs in several parts of Pune has become a serious public health and safety concern. She pointed out that incidents of stray dog attacks have been rising, with several residents sustaining injuries.

“Stray dogs have formed packs in many localities, and attacks on citizens are being reported even during daytime. Children, women and elderly residents are particularly vulnerable,” Aishwarya said, adding that a recent tragic incident in the nearby town of Chakan has further heightened fear among residents.

She highlighted that the unchecked stray dog population poses multiple health risks, including the threat of rabies and other infections caused by dog bites. Aishwarya also noted that residents often restrict their movement at night due to fear of dog attacks. In some cases, motorists trying to avoid stray dogs on roads are forced to drive erratically, leading to accidents.

“The biggest challenge is that stray dogs cannot be easily identified. They frequently move between areas, and citizens cannot know whether they have been vaccinated. It is also difficult to check whether a dog has a reflector collar during sudden encounters,” she said.

While acknowledging that animals also have the right to live in the city, Pathare stressed the need for balanced measures to ensure peaceful coexistence without putting human lives at risk.

She demanded that the PMC immediately conduct an official survey of the stray dog population across the city and implement a large-scale Animal Birth Control (ABC) sterilisation and anti-rabies vaccination drive.

Aishwarya also called for clear identification of vaccinated dogs through ear-tags or collars.
Among other measures, she urged authorities to capture and relocate aggressive or dangerous dogs, establish dedicated shelters for stray animals, strengthen waste management to curb the growth of stray dog populations, and introduce a 24×7 grievance redressal system for citizens.

She further demanded immediate medical assistance and compensation for victims of dog bite incidents.

Aishwarya said the civic administration should present a time-bound action plan before citizens outlining the steps it will take to address the issue and safeguard public health in the city.