South India's Dog Bite Crisis: Rabies Deaths Rise Despite Sterilization Efforts

In southern India, there has been a significant increase in dog bites and rabies-related deaths, despite measures to control the stray dog population. The government has implemented the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Program, but data from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Kerala shows the problem persists. The population of stray dogs continues to grow, and civic responses have been limited. In Tamil Nadu, for instance, there were over 1.24 lakh dog bite cases and four rabies deaths in the first three months of 2025.