Karnataka's stray dog bite compensation triggers concerns of misuse

The Karnataka government’s recent announcement of a Rs 5,000 compensation for victims of stray dog bites has triggered a wave of memes. In their posts, netizens are jokingly inviting dogs to bite them for the payout. Activists fear that people with grudges against community dogs “could exploit the provision by claiming repeated bites” and push for the animal’s removal.

The government’s order also promises Rs 5 lakh compensation in cases of death caused by stray dog bites, but the animal welfare community has apprehensions about the Rs 5,000 payout. The current order is a revised version of the 2023 order.

Animal welfare activist Manjari Chaitanya questions the rationale of a Rs 5,000 compensation when Anti-Rabies Vaccines (ARV) are available for free at Primary Health Centres (PHC). “The government should (instead) prioritise uninterrupted vaccine and immunoglobulin supply,” she says. Poor data segregation is another worry. She says hospitals log everything from pet dog bites to stray dog bites and even cat scratches under one “dog bite” category.

Community dog caregiver Nandita Subbarao also fears pet dog bites may now be blamed on stray dogs.

Animal welfare warden Aniruddha Ravindra says stringent checks are essential before releasing compensation. Victims must explain in detail how the bite occurred, and a nodal officer must verify the spot of the attack if victims were unable to photograph the dog that bit them. “Wounds alone can’t confirm a dog bite, since similar marks can come from cats or monkeys,” he says.

Sudha Narayan, founder of CARE, says the order aims to ease the burden on bite victims who have to travel to government hospitals for ARV and immunoglobulin shots. This will particularly benefit low-income families, she says. However, she suggests routing all bite reports through the city’s rabies helpline so an integrated bite case management officer can verify incidents on-site. The helpline number is 63648 93322.

Priya Chetty Rajagopal, trustee of the C J Memorial Trust, points out that the compensation scheme for stray dog bites goes back a long time. “Claims applied only to stray bites and required an animal husbandry officer’s sign-off or a police complaint. Eventually, the provision disappeared. Activists pushed BBMP to revive it, and funds were allocated (for it) in 2023,” she says.

GBA: It is just a simple process

Vikas Suralkar, Special Commissioner (GBA), says the order’s main aim is to ensure ARV supply across all health facilities. He says the process to claim compensation is “straightforward”. Visit the nearest PHC, where a doctor will note wound severity. After which, the animal husbandry assistant director will process the claim. No additional documents are needed, and the compensation can be released in 7-10 days, he says.