India is facing a public health emergency: rising animal bites—especially from stray dogs—are putting millions at risk of rabies, a disease with nearly 100% fatality once symptoms appear. Annual animal bites in India have soared to around 9.1 million, resulting in approximately 5,700 deaths each year, according to ICMR data.

Cities like Noida saw a 31% rise in dog bites in a single year, and Ludhiana experienced more than a doubling since 2021. Nationally, bites increased by nearly 70% between 2022 and 2024, prompting a judicial and governmental response. In Delhi, the Supreme Court took suo motu note of a tragic child death linked to a dog bite, calling the rise in rabies cases "deeply disturbing and alarming".

Fatal stories like that of a young kabaddi player who died after ignoring a puppy bite highlight the importance of timely action and full post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) with vaccine and immunoglobulin (RIG).

Despite high vaccine awareness, nearly one in three victims fail to complete the full regimen, and RIG access remains patchy.