Kashmir is grappling with a worsening crisis of stray dogs. With more than 55,000 reported dog bite cases in 2025 alone, the problem has reached a scale that can no longer be brushed aside. Several factors have allowed this problem to grow unchecked. The failure of consistent animal birth control programmes has meant that the dog population continues to multiply. While the programme exists on paper, its frequent halts and lack of implementation have made it ineffective. Poor waste management has made matters worse. Piles of garbage in Srinagar and other towns serve as a constant food source for dogs, creating conditions that sustain and expand their numbers. This year, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has announced a large-scale sterilization and vaccination campaign that promises to change the trajectory. Under the Animal Birth Control programme, more than 21,000 dogs are to be sterilized over the next 16 months. The programme reportedly began on August 14 and is designed to cover all 35 municipal wards of the city. With a target of sterilizing 1,350 dogs per month, or around 45 a day, the campaign is ambitious in both scope and intent. It is being implemented under the Animal Birth Control Rules 2023, in line with the guidelines of the Animal Welfare Board of India. However, the history of half-hearted measures and stalled projects should be a cautionary reminder. For too long, the Valley has seen plans being announced with fanfare, only to fade away before producing any real impact. The sterilization drive now underway cannot be allowed to meet the same fate. With over 55,000 bite cases already this year, the urgency is evident. What is at stake is not just public safety, but also the trust of people who have grown tired of hearing promises while continuing to live in fear. Taking the programme to its logical conclusion requires more than meeting sterilization targets. Waste management has to improve drastically. The authorities also need to ensure transparency in the sterilization drive, with regular updates on numbers achieved and visible impact on the ground. Independent monitoring will help prevent the programme from becoming yet another exercise that looks good in official records but achieves little in reality. Equally important is public awareness. People must be informed about the progress of the campaign and educated on preventive measures against dog bites. The scale of the stray dog crisis is such that it cannot be resolved overnight, but the drive that has begun offers a rare chance to address the issue in a structured way. If the programme is carried forward with seriousness and supported by improvements in waste management and healthcare preparedness, the Valley can hope for lasting relief. The people of Kashmir deserve to walk their streets without fear, and this drive must not end halfway. The success of this effort will be measured not in official statements, but in the lived experience of ordinary residents who have waited far too long for a solution.
Street Threat
