Pimpri, 29th November 2025: Pimpri-Chinchwad continues to struggle with a rising stray dog population, with 20,664 dog bite cases recorded in just the past seven months. According to estimates by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), the city is home to nearly one lakh stray dogs.
The issue has gained urgency following recent Supreme Court directions instructing civic authorities to capture stray dogs from public spaces and relocate them to shelters. However, PCMC currently does not operate a single dog shelter, leaving the veterinary department unsure where captured dogs could be housed.
Officials say food waste dumped in open areasтАФparticularly near roadside eateries, meat shops, hotels and residential coloniesтАФremains a major driver of the stray population. Residents frequently complain of dogs chasing pedestrians and motorists at night, sometimes leading to panic, injuries and road mishaps. Many locals also report feeling unsafe while walking through dimly lit streets after dark.
Dog bite cases, especially involving children, have surged across the city. In the past decade alone, 1,70,840 bite cases have been reported, with annual numbers ranging between 10,000 and 28,000.
To contain the stray population, the veterinary department has been conducting sterilisation surgeries. In the last five years, 43,680 stray dogs have been sterilised.
тАЬStray dogs captured by the civic body are vaccinated and sterilised. Dog bite figures at municipal hospitals also include cases from nearby rural areas, which contributes to the higher count,тАЭ said Dr Sandeep Khot, Deputy Commissioner of the Veterinary Department.
Dog Bite Cases by Year
2016тАУ17: 10,533
2017тАУ18: 13,558
2018тАУ19: 14,842
2019тАУ20: 12,751
2020тАУ21: 13,832
2021тАУ22: 13,892
2022тАУ23: 18,500
2023тАУ24: 24,169
2024тАУ25: 28,099
2025тАУ26: 20,664 (till October)
The post Pune: One Lakh Stray Dogs, Over 20,000 Bite Cases Reported in Pimpri-Chinchwad appeared first on Punekar News.
