On 15th September, an order issued by authorities in Bene village under West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh came into force that allowed villagers to kill stray dogs found roaming in the area. The decision was taken at a community meeting on 8th September 2025 chaired by the Head Gaon Burah (HGB) along with village elders.
According to the minutes of the meeting, stray dogs within Bene and nearby villages are to be shot on sight. Village representatives said that the step was taken after cases of rabies were reported in the region. Locals feared that the disease could spread further if measures were not put in place.
The village authorities formally communicated the order to the Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police, and the Officer in charge of Aalo Police Station. Village leaders underlined that the decision was necessary to protect residents, especially children and the elderly, from the risk posed by unmonitored dogs.
While the directive reflects local attempts to address recurring concerns over dog-related diseases, some animal welfare activists have expressed opposition and have urged the authorities to instead focus on vaccination and sterilisation drives under ABC Rules 2023 which have not worked as intended across the country, as shown by the data on dog bites made available by the Government of India in a reply to OpIndia’s RTI.
OpIndia is doing a series on Stray Dog Menace that can be checked here.
