Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Sep 27: Over 8,346 animal bite cases, predominantly involving dogs and cats, have been reported at the Anti-Rabies Clinic (ARC) at Srinagar’s Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital in the last six months.
The increasing presence of stray dogs in every corner of the city has led to more man-dog confrontations, resulting in a rise in dog bite incidents, according to medical officials.
Doctors further said that since the COVID-19 pandemic, more households are keeping cats as pets, which has caused a surge in cat bite cases, actually surpassing dog bites in number.
An official from the ARC at SMHS said that between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, a total of 12,437 bite cases were reported. Of these, 6,205 were dog bites, 5,717 were cat bites, and 515 involved other animals.
From April 1 to September 26, 2025, 8,346 new cases have been recorded. If this trend continues, officials estimate that the total could reach around 15,000 cases by the end of March 2026. In the current period, there have been 3,799 dog bite cases, 4,394 cat bite cases, and 153 cases involving other animals.
Reviewing yearly data, the official said that from April 2015 to March 2016, there were 7,061 bite cases; from April 2016 to March 2017, 5,832 cases; April 2017 to March 2018 saw 6,802 cases; April 2018 to March 2019 recorded 6,397 cases; April 2019 to March 2020 had 6,139 cases; April 2020 to March 2021 saw 4,808 cases; April 2021 to March 2022 had 5,469 cases; April 2022 to March 2023 recorded 6,875 cases; April 2023 to March 2024 saw 8,652 cases; and from April 2024 to March 2025, the number reached 12,437.
Overall, around 80,000 animal bite cases have been registered at the ARC since April 2015.
Officials said cat bites are increasing exponentially as more people keep cats as pets, whereas most dog bites are from stray animals.
Medical experts warn that dog bites remain a public health concern in Kashmir, with many victims developing rabies – a fatal viral disease responsible for approximately 59,000 human deaths globally each year, predominantly in Africa and Asia. The primary prevention method is timely vaccination after an animal bite.
However, the health system in Kashmir does not routinely capture detailed data on the characteristics and burden of dog bites.
Notably, September 28 marks World Rabies Day, dedicated to raising awareness about rabies prevention and celebrating progress against this deadly disease. It also commemorates the death of Louis Pasteur, the French microbiologist who developed the first rabies vaccine.
Today, effective vaccines for both animals and humans are critical tools in eliminating rabies-related deaths. Public awareness remains a key factor in community engagement and successful rabies prevention efforts.
