Lucknow Emerges as National Model in Stray Dog Management
The Supreme Court of India has been actively examining the contentious issue of stray dog management across the nation for the past six months. In these hearings, one city has consistently stood out as a beacon of success. Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, has received repeated praise for its effective strategies.
Court orders, parliamentary discussions, and legal arguments have all highlighted Lucknow's achievements. The city has managed to stabilize its stray dog population while significantly reducing conflicts between humans and animals.
The 'Lucknow Model': A Public-Private Partnership
This success stems from a collaborative effort between the Lucknow Municipal Corporation and Humane World for Animals India. Since 2019, this partnership has sterilized and vaccinated approximately one lakh street dogs.
Official figures reveal an impressive sterilization coverage exceeding 84%. This rate surpasses the World Health Organization's recommended threshold of 70% for effective population control.
Dr. Abhinav Verma, the Animal Welfare Officer for Lucknow corporation, explains the significance. The city estimates its street dog population at 1.35 lakh. Sterilizing one lakh animals represents a major accomplishment. Dr. Verma describes Lucknow as a "pioneer" in implementing Animal Birth Control programs.
He specifically commended the scientific methods employed by their partner organization. "They do detailed planning, so implementation is smooth," Verma noted.
Beyond Sterilization: A Two-Pronged Strategy
The program's effectiveness lies in its comprehensive approach. Unlike many cities that focus solely on sterilization, Lucknow emphasizes two equally important pillars.
Ratesh Rao, Senior Manager at Humane World for Animals India, outlines the strategy. "Our work is based on two planks: ABC work and community engagement. Both are important," he states.
The community initiative, called 'Abhay Sankalp', involves direct engagement with residents. Teams conduct training sessions with Resident Welfare Associations, schools, and slum communities.
These sessions educate people on:
- How to safely interact with dogs
- Understanding canine body language
- Appropriate feeding practices
- When to approach and when to avoid dogs
This community focus addresses a critical legal and practical issue: relocation. Current ABC Rules prohibit removing stray dogs from their territories. Relocation often creates vacancies filled by more aggressive dogs, leading to increased fights and bites.
Through workshops and a dedicated helpline, the program educates residents about the problems with relocation. Consequently, demands for removing dogs have decreased, while requests for sterilization have increased.
Measuring Impact: The Complex Picture of Dog Bites
While sterilization numbers are clear, assessing the impact on dog bites presents challenges due to varying data sources.
Government data from Lucknow's Chief Medical Officer shows a substantial rise in anti-rabies vaccinations. Numbers increased from 37,748 in 2016-17 to 1,74,140 in 2023-24.
However, officials caution against interpreting this as a direct measure of stray dog attacks. Vivek Jaiswal, the district data manager, acknowledges potential reporting inconsistencies. The data also includes bites from all animals and patients from neighboring districts.
Dr. Verma clarifies the purpose of sterilization. "There is no relation between sterilization and dog bites. Sterilization is a population-control long-term project," he explains.
A significant positive indicator from the CMO data shows zero human rabies deaths in Lucknow over the past decade.
Data maintained by Humane World for Animals India suggests a decline in serious incidents. Complaints categorized as "serious biting" or "attempts to bite" peaked at 2,977 in 2023. This number dropped to 1,527 in 2024 and further decreased to 999 in 2025.
Dr. Piyush Patel, director of the street dog program, links this decline to achieving a 75% sterilization rate in 2023, which leads to population stabilization.
Community Voices and Future Steps
Supriya Shrivastava, a 29-year resident and program volunteer since 2020, calls the initiative a "boon". She observes changed public perception. "People have become more relaxed around stray dogs because they have seen their population reducing," Shrivastava says. "They also trust now that dogs won’t bite or attack them without provocation."
Looking ahead, Lucknow prepares to inaugurate India's first comprehensive ABC training center in February. This facility will represent another step forward in the city's systematic approach to humane stray dog management.
The Lucknow model demonstrates that combining scientific animal birth control with thoughtful community engagement can create sustainable solutions. As national discussions continue, this Uttar Pradesh capital offers valuable lessons for municipalities across India struggling with similar challenges.
