On November 7, 2025, the Supreme Court of India directed that free-ranging dogs be removed from schools, hospitals and other institutional areas. Local bodies must capture, sterilise and shelter the dogs, and prevent their re-entry into premises, it said.
The court also ordered authorities to clear highways of stray cattle and other animals to prevent fatal crashes.
The presence of animals on roads and in public institutions reflects systemic neglect of safety, according to the court. It asked states and national agencies to submit status reports within eight weeks.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), stray dogs cause between 18,000 and 20,000 human deaths in India annually. A 2025 Lancet study suggests a more conservative figure of around 5,726 deaths.
Over 3.7 million dog bite incidents were reported in India last year, though the actual number is likely much higher.
For stray cattle, direct deaths are less clear, but these animals cause train and road accidents frequently. India has over five million stray cattle according to the livestock census data released in January 2020.