India faces one of the world’s most persistent stray dog crises, with estimates of up to 70 million free-roaming canines and concerning rabies and bite incidents. Scientific approaches, especially the proven Animal Birth Control (ABC) strategy catch, neuter, vaccinate, release offer the most humane and effective solution; Chennai’s pioneering ABC-AR model helped eradicate rabies by 2007, earning national adoption and a steep drop in fatalities.

The Supreme Court recently reaffirmed this direction by allowing sterilised and immunised dogs to return to their communities while excluding aggressive or rabid animals, alongside requiring designated feeding zones—a decision celebrated by advocates as a balanced, compassionate move. Yet population numbers remain stubbornly high, and municipalities struggle to deliver ABC coverage exceeding 40%, highlighting the gap between policy and implementation.

Experts argue for integrating dog ecology, urban planning, public education, and community engagement for sustainable coexistence. Broader ecosystem insights such as the unintended rise in feral dogs following vulture collapse underscore that lasting solutions must be ecologically informed, science-driven, and ethically sound.