India, Aug. 25 -- The new Supreme Court order on stray dogs last Friday addresses the concerns of both animal lovers and the large population fearful of them: It doesn't stop the authorities from rounding up the strays, nor does it allow them to release the dogs before vaccination and sterilisation. No one can feed strays anywhere other than designated spots, and the government will have to set up dog shelters on a large scale. The apex court orders are now applicable throughout the country. August 26 is observed as International Dog Day. It raises a pertinent question whether the apex court's direction acts as a panacea against the problems associated with stray dogs. But, before we discuss the issue, let's look at the prevalent situation. A bright morning last Wednesday took a dark turn. While Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta was holding a public grievance meeting, a man, yelling and waving some papers, charged at her. The alert security personnel caught him. Inquiries revealed that the man, Rajesh Bhai Khimji, was from Rajkot, Gujarat. His mother said he was an animal lover and was enraged by the Supreme Court decision on removing stray dogs from public places. Is this reason enough for someone to travel hundreds of kilometres to attack a public representative? The online and offline confrontations between the dog lovers and those opposed to the stray population ignore the stark reality of thousands of humans dying every year due to dog bites. The apex court decided earlier that within six to eight weeks, stray dogs should be removed from the streets of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). With few resources and even less enthusiasm, the government machinery began the herculean task. A day before Rekha Gupta was attacked, the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) officials lodged police complaints against vandalism of corporation vehicles being used to pick up stray dogs. How can those who protest against every incident of cruelty to animals turn violent towards fellow human beings? I have no dislike for any animal or bird species. Even during my childhood, there were many stray dogs in our neighbourhood and in our villages that were our honorary guard dogs. They were the responsibility of the entire neighbourhood. These dogs would get enough food and never attack people. However, things have changed over the years. Cities have turned into concrete jungles, and neighbourhoods have given way to gated apartments. Career demands have forced people to move from their native places. This has redefined community living and camaraderie. Even human-animal relations have changed. Earlier, no one could have thought that a pack of stray dogs would maul a human to death. But today, social media is awash with many such gut-wrenching videos where a pack of strays is brutalising a human. Whether it's Delhi or any small hamlet, dogs, rhesus monkeys, stray bulls, and cows roam free with a licence to attack citizens. The story of sub-inspector Richa from Ghaziabad shows the depth of the malaise. She was returning from duty when a stray dog came in front of her scooterette. She immediately applied the brakes, and her vehicle skidded, grievously wounding her. She died the same night. State governments seem to have no plan to deal with the crisis. According to a report, just before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, the incidents of stray dog bites reached an alarming 76 lakh annually in 2018. During the lockdown, it saw a sharp decline, and in 2021, it stood at 17 lakh. Since then, the graph has shot up alarmingly with no respite. Last year, 37.17 lakh dog bite cases were registered. It means 10,000 dog bites daily across the country. (There is no data on what percentage of these bites are by pets and how many are by strays, though most experts say that a majority of bites are caused by pets or suffered by animal workers and activists working with dogs.). According to the World Health Organization, every year, 18,000 to 20,000 people die of rabies. Due to the lack of an established national procedure, there's no way we will have authentic data; yet, there is no doubt that the stray dog problem is so grave nationally that it needs urgent action. However, how can we act when the road ahead is tough? There's a powerful lobby supporting the stray dogs. Animals need space to live by their natural instincts, but humans, too, deserve their right to live without the fear of avoidable violence....