J&K: Over 2 lakh dog bite cases in 2 years

There is no dearth of dog lovers in Jammu and Kashmir. But due to the increasing number of dog bite cases, the Union Territory is witnessing a precarious situation.

The statistics tabled by the Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday revealed that more than two lakh dog bite cases were reported across the Union Territory in 2024 and 2025. The twin Capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar recorded the highest number of cases of dog bites despite taking several measures to prevent stray dogs from biting the residents.

The data was shared in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly by Minister for Health Sakina Itoo in a written reply to a question by National Conference member Mubarak Gul. Sharing district-wise figures, the minister said that 2,06,460 dog bite cases were reported in the Union Territory during the two-year period, including 93,765 cases in 2024 and 1,12,695 cases in 2025. In the Jammu division, 1,26,844 cases were recorded in 2024–25, with 54,863 cases in 2024 and 71,981 cases in 2025, the health minister revealed.

The Jammu district alone accounted for 76,824 cases, followed by Kathua with 17,129 cases and Udhampur with 8,179 cases. Other districts in the division reported 7,140 cases in Rajouri, 5,332 in Samba, 4,111 in Doda, 2,752 in Reasi, 2,023 in Poonch, 1,772 in Ramban and 1,582 in Kishtwar, she said.

The Kashmir division reported 79,616 cases during the same period, including 38,902 cases in 2024 and 40,714 cases in 2025. Srinagar recorded the highest number of cases at 35,174, followed by Baramulla with 12,882 and Anantnag with 10,818 cases, the minister said. Budgam reported 5,523 cases, Kulgam 3,925, Kupwara 3,725, Bandipora 2,914, Pulwama 2,197, Ganderbal 1,695, and Shopian 462 cases, she added.

The minister said that the figures were compiled from the data received from the Directorate of Health Services (DHS), Government Medical Colleges and SKIMS, adding that the Government is taking measures to address the rising number of dog bite incidents and strengthen preventive and treatment facilities across the Union Territory.

The minister said that there is no report indicating an increase in the population of stray dogs within the limits of the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC). “However, she said that the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) conducted a scientific population survey in 2023, which estimated approximately 64,416 stray dogs within its jurisdiction”, she said.

She said that to humanely manage the stray dog population, the SMC has been implementing an outsourced animal birth control and anti-rabies vaccination (ABC-ARV) programme.

The minister said that the corporation has acknowledged that existing efforts are challenged by the high fertility rate among dogs, and is therefore, augmenting its capacity by establishing a third ABC-ARV centre at Ahal Chatterhama. The facility is expected to enhance sterilisation and immunisation capacity by nearly tenfold, she added.

“The SMC is actively working to comply with all legal frameworks and recent directives of the SC, which mandate sterilisation, vaccination and release back to the original habitat as the only legally permitted intervention to address the issue of stray dog overpopulation,” the minister said.