Panvel Records 5,662 Stray Dog Bites In Eight Months Across Civic Limits

A total of 5,662 people were bitten by stray dogs within Panvel Municipal Corporation limits between January and August 2026, according to official civic data, raising serious concerns among residents across nodes including Kamothe, Kharghar, and Taloja.

The figures highlight mounting challenges in controlling the stray animal population across the civic body's jurisdiction, where an estimated 19,317 stray dogs and 5,000 stray cats currently live. Recent incidents have intensified safety worries, including a case in Kamothe last month where a single stray dog bit five people.

Residents in key nodes such as Kamothe, Kharghar, Taloja, New Panvel, and Khanda Colony have submitted frequent complaints regarding stray dogs chasing and attacking pedestrians. The issue follows similar concerns raised in nearby Kalyan-Dombivli after multiple dog bites were reported in a single day.

To curb the stray population and stop the spread of rabies, the civic body has conducted sterilisation and vaccination drives. Between April 2025 and March 2026, the Panvel Municipal Corporation sterilised 1,337 stray dogs and 338 stray cats. Additionally, civic teams administered anti-rabies vaccines to 16,859 stray dogs in 2026.

However, animal welfare experts have pointed out that the pace of the sterilisation drive remains low relative to the overall stray population. Experts have called for an expansion of existing sterilisation infrastructure and an accelerated rollout of the Animal Birth Control programme across the corporation limits.

The civic administration stated that municipal hospitals remain equipped to handle dog bite cases, noting that approximately 1,200 anti-rabies vaccine doses were available as of June 2026 for post-bite treatment. Officials added that the civic body is currently working to strengthen its sterilisation centre in accordance with directions issued by the Supreme Court.