SC Ruling on Stray Dogs: What are the Rules on Street Dog Population Control in Different Countries?

With the ongoing controversy in India regarding the stray dogs, the topic of conversation has shifted to the rules and regulations. India is home to more than 60 million stray dogs, many of whom die from illnesses and mishaps. Every 10 seconds, a dog bite occurs, resulting in 3 million bites per year and about 5,000 deaths. At least two people are killed by rabies alone every three hours. Many countries around the world have different rules in place to address the growing issue of stray animals. 

Let’s take a look at the countries with a vast population of stray dogs, along with the measures they have taken to control the population:

What is the Current Situation in India?

With more than 60 million stray dogs, India has one of the biggest populations of street dogs worldwide. India's capital, Delhi-NCR, has been ordered by the Supreme Court to move dogs to shelters and make sure they are sterilized, vaccinated, and monitored. While Kolkata establishes feeding zones to lessen conflict, Mumbai organizes massive sterilizing operations in collaboration with NGOs. As part of 'Mission Rabies,' Jaipur runs sterilization clinics every day, Goa has been rabies-free since 2017, and other cities use variations of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) plan.

Which is the First Nation with no Stray Dogs?

The Netherlands was the first nation in the world to completely eradicate stray dogs. Strong anti-abandonment regulations, a statewide catch-neuter-vaccinate-return (CNVR) program, high taxes on purebred purchases to promote adoption, and a powerful cultural push were the main factors in its success, which resulted in almost 90% of families adopting pets.

Thailand’s Journey from Millions of Stray Dogs to Rabies Free Country

Phuket, Thailand, used to be a popular destination for strays, but the Soi Dog Foundation has neutered and vaccinated more than 1.17 million canines nationwide. In addition to initiatives against the dog meat trade, this has reduced Phuket's stray population by 90% and guided the nation toward rabies-free status.

Bhutan’s Policy of Vaccination and Sterilisation

Bhutan is unique in that all of its stray dogs have been vaccinated and sterilized. Bhutan has demonstrated that exceptional outcomes may be achieved with even low resources by including animal welfare into public health planning and engaging people in awareness campaigns.

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China’s Priority for Rabies Control

Rabies control is China's top priority. Since 2021, Beijing has eradicated human rabies incidents and increased vaccination rates to over 80% thanks to mandatory dog registration, mass vaccination campaigns, public reporting platforms, and awareness campaigns. However, crackdowns on unregistered dogs have raised concerns about welfare.

Turkey’s CNVR Startegy to Control Population

When Turkey first started using CNVR to control strays, there were problems with finance and enforcement. Animal advocacy organizations protested around the country in 2024 when a new legislation was passed that required all strays to be sheltered, sterilized, and vaccinated while allowing the death of violent or ill dogs.

How did Brazil achieve 60% Decrease?

By combining sterilisation, immunization, and adoption programmes, São Paulo, Brazil, has experienced a 60% decrease in stray dogs over the past five years. The drop has been maintained in part by public education on responsible ownership.

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Austin’s No Kill Policy

Austin's animal shelters prioritize rehoming over euthanasia and have a no-kill policy. The city established an example for humane urban animal management by rehoming 30,000 dogs in a single year, which led to a 25% decrease in euthanasia rates.

Germany, Japan, Spain, Australia

Through stringent pet ownership regulations, required microchipping, TNR initiatives, and public awareness campaigns, these nations keep their stray numbers low. Stray populations are kept under control by strong adoption cultures and severe penalties for abandonment.

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