The Supreme Court’s verdict to put down ‘irretrievably ill or mortally wounded’ stray dogs has a greater significance for a city like Mumbai, which has recorded as many as 156 deaths in the last 11 years due to dog bites. According to the figures, more than one Mumbaikar dies every month due to dog bites.

In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court this week directed civic authorities across the country to kill “irretrievably ill or mortally wounded” stray dogs. “(The) life of a dog is not more important than the life of a human being. A balance should be struck between compassion for dogs and human lives,” the court said.

Ever since the high court had stayed the killing of strays in 1998, the BMC had to undertake sterilisation programmes with the help of NGOs to control the stray dog population in the city. As per provisions of Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules 2001 of Central Government, the civic body has appointed eight NGOs in seven civic administrative zones to sterilise dogs. The BMC has sterilised and vaccinated more than two lakh dogs in last 11 years.

However, despite this, the number of dog bites is on rise in the city. According to the civic data, from the year 2005, 156 people have died in the city due to dog bites since the year 2005. The number of dog bites has also increased with an average of 66,764 incidents recorded every year during this period.

The animal census carried out by the civic body in 2007 had showed 74,926 stray dogs in the city. However, the number has come down to 66,087 in the census carried out last year. Civic officials claim that the drop in the stray dogs’ figure is due to the sterilisation programme adopted by the BMC.

“Now that the Supreme Court has allowed killing of ill of wounded stray dogs, we will have to take measures accordingly. Our sterilisation programmed is already underway. But to implement the SC ruling, we are holding discussions with our legal department on how to carry it out,” said a senior official from the health department.