Data report · Updated October 2026
Dog bite compensation in India: how much each state pays, and how to apply (2026)
India has no national dog bite compensation scheme, so what you get depends on your state. In Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh a High Court ruling sets at least Rs 10,000 per tooth mark and Rs 20,000 per 0.2 cm of torn flesh. Punjab's policy pays Rs 5 lakh for a death. Karnataka ordered Rs 5 lakh for deaths and Rs 5,000 for injuries in Greater Bengaluru in November 2025, while Kerala routes claims through district legal services committees.
Key findings
- No central law or scheme fixes dog bite compensation in India; amounts come from state policies, High Court rulings and Supreme Court-appointed committees.
- The Punjab and Haryana High Court decided a batch of 193 stray animal cases and set at least Rs 10,000 per tooth mark for dog bites.
- Under that ruling a wound of 1 cm with flesh pulled off works out to a minimum of Rs 1 lakh, at Rs 20,000 per 0.2 cm.
- Chandigarh's committee had received 495 claims by August 2025, of which 476 (96.2%) were for stray dog bites.
- Only 184 of those 495 claims (37.2%) had been settled; 171 were paid Rs 28.30 lakh in total, about Rs 16,550 each.
- Haryana's DAYALU-II scheme pays Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh for a death or 70% disability from a dog bite, depending on the victim's age.
- Karnataka's 19 November 2025 order for Greater Bengaluru pays Rs 5 lakh for a death and Rs 5,000 for a bite injury, Rs 3,500 of it to the victim.
- Of 128 Kerala awards sanctioned in January 2023, 89.8% were under Rs 1 lakh, and one award of Rs 14.5 lakh made up 16.6% of the total.
- Delhi has no scheme; in 2024 the Delhi High Court ordered Rs 2.5 lakh ex gratia for an infant's death and left further claims to a civil court.
How much compensation do you get for a dog bite in India?
It depends on where you were bitten. There is no national scheme, and the Supreme Court has not fixed an amount. Four states and one Union Territory have a clear route, through a policy, a court ruling or a committee.
For injuries, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh are the most generous on paper: at least Rs 10,000 per tooth mark. Karnataka's Greater Bengaluru order pays a flat Rs 5,000 for a bite injury. For a death, Punjab's policy and Karnataka's order both pay Rs 5 lakh, and Haryana pays Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh by age.
| State or UT | Basis | Bite injury | Death | Who decides | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punjab | High Court ruling plus state policy | Min Rs 10,000 per tooth mark; Rs 20,000 per 0.2 cm torn flesh | Rs 5 lakh | District committee under the Deputy Commissioner | 2023 to 2025 |
| Haryana | High Court ruling plus DAYALU-II | Min Rs 10,000 per tooth mark; Rs 20,000 per 0.2 cm torn flesh | Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh by age | District committee; DAYALU-II portal for deaths | 2023 to 2026 |
| Chandigarh | High Court ruling; Punjab policy applied | Same minimums; injury capped at Rs 2 lakh | Rs 5 lakh | UT committee under the Deputy Commissioner | Aug 2025 |
| Karnataka | Government order, 19 Nov 2025 (Greater Bengaluru Region) | Rs 5,000 (Rs 3,500 to victim, Rs 1,500 for treatment) | Rs 5 lakh | Verification and Compensation Disbursement Committee | Nov 2025 |
| Kerala | Supreme Court-appointed committee, now district committees | Case by case, with 9% interest | Case by case | District Legal Services Authority committees | Jul 2025 |
| Delhi | No scheme; writ or civil suit | No fixed rate | Rs 2.5 lakh ex gratia in one 2024 case | High Court or civil court | Sep 2024 |
| Maharashtra | No state scheme found | No fixed rate | No fixed rate | High Court or civil court | Oct 2026 |
Haryana pays Rs 5 lakh only for ages 25 to 40. Delhi figure is one High Court ex gratia award (2024), not a scheme. Sources in the table above.
Show the numbers
| Label | Rs |
|---|---|
| Punjab policy (also Chandigarh) | Rs 5 lakh |
| Karnataka (Greater Bengaluru, Nov 2025) | Rs 5 lakh |
| Haryana DAYALU-II, highest band | up to Rs 5 lakh |
| Delhi High Court ex gratia, 2024 | Rs 2.5 lakh |
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Compensation sits on top of free treatment. Anti-rabies vaccine is meant to be free in government hospitals, and the Supreme Court ordered all hospitals to stock it in November 2025. See our anti-rabies vaccine access report for state availability.
What is dog bite compensation in Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh?
The rates come from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Rajwinder Kaur v State of Haryana, a batch of 193 cases on stray and wild animal attacks. Justice Vinod S Bhardwaj pronounced it on 18 August 2023, and legal news sites reported it in November 2023. It applies to Punjab, Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh.
The Court set floors, not ceilings. For dog bites the minimum is Rs 10,000 per tooth mark. Where flesh is pulled off the skin, the minimum is Rs 20,000 per 0.2 cm of wound. The state pays first and can recover the money from a defaulting agency or private person.
| Direction | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who pays | The state, primarily, with a right to recover from defaulting agencies or private persons |
| Dog bite minimum | Rs 10,000 per tooth mark |
| Torn flesh minimum | Rs 20,000 per 0.2 cm of wound |
| Committee | Deputy Commissioner (chair), SP or DSP (Traffic), SDM, District Transport Officer, CMO's representative |
| Police role | Record a DDR, verify, and send a report within 30 days of information |
| Award time | Within four months of a claim filed with the required documents; payment preferably within six weeks of the award |
| Death and disability | Under the respective state policy; Chandigarh applies the Punjab policy because it pays more |
| Civil court | Committee awards are interim relief; victims can still sue in a civil court for more |
Computed by dogeats.in from the High Court minimums: Rs 10,000 per tooth mark, Rs 20,000 per 0.2 cm of torn flesh. Committees decide actual awards; Chandigarh caps injury awards at Rs 2 lakh.
Show the numbers
| Label | Rs |
|---|---|
| 1 tooth mark | Rs 10,000 |
| 2 tooth marks | Rs 20,000 |
| 4 tooth marks | Rs 40,000 |
| 0.2 cm torn flesh | Rs 20,000 |
| 0.6 cm torn flesh | Rs 60,000 |
| 1 cm torn flesh | Rs 1 lakh |
| 2 cm torn flesh | Rs 2 lakh |
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Source: DAYALU-II notification of 24 May 2023, reproduced in the High Court judgment of 18 August 2023; also The Tribune, 14 November 2023. Covers deaths and permanent disability of 70% or more caused by stray animals, including dog bites.
Show the numbers
| Label | Rs |
|---|---|
| Up to 12 years | Rs 1 lakh |
| 12 to 18 | Rs 2 lakh |
| 18 to 25 | Rs 3 lakh |
| 25 to 40 | Rs 5 lakh |
| Over 40 | Rs 2 lakh |
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Reports differ on one detail. A Tribune report of July 2024 gave Rs 10,000 per instance, and an August 2025 Tribune report wrote 10.2 sq cm. The judgment itself says at least Rs 20,000 per 0.2 cm of wound, and we use that wording.
Haryana's scheme pays less for children than for adults aged 25 to 40. A child under 12 who dies of a dog bite brings Rs 1 lakh, a fifth of the top band.
Punjab's own policy, notified on 13 May 2023, pays Rs 5 lakh for a death and Rs 2 lakh for permanent incapacitation certified by a Civil Surgeon. Claims are due within one year, and the committee can condone delay up to three years.
How many dog bite compensation claims has Chandigarh paid?
Chandigarh is the only place in the region with published claim counts. Its committee was formed on 2 July 2024, under Deputy Commissioner chairmanship. The municipal corporation had set aside Rs 20 lakh for compensation in 2024-25.
By August 2025 the committee had received 495 claims, 476 of them for stray dog bites. It had settled 184, paying 171 and rejecting 13, and 291 were pending verification. Those two groups add up to 475, so the report leaves 20 claims unexplained.
Source: The Tribune, 14 August 2025, on the UT committee formed on 2 July 2024. Totals include 19 non-dog animal claims.
Show the numbers
| Label | claims |
|---|---|
| Claims received | 495 |
| Stray dog bite claims | 476 |
| Pending verification | 291 |
| Paid | 171 |
| Rejected | 13 |
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| Date reported | Claims received | Reviewed or settled | Recommended or paid | Amount paid (Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2024 | Committee not yet formed | None | None | Rs 20 lakh budgeted for 2024-25 |
| Jul 2024 | About 100 | About 100 under review | Not reported | Not reported |
| Dec 2024 | About 220 | 116 | 81 | Not reported |
| Aug 2025 | 495 | 184 | 171 | 28,30,000 |
The average payment works out to about Rs 16,550 per paid claim. That fits mostly minor bites at the Rs 10,000 per tooth mark floor. Chandigarh logged 8,644 dog bites in 2024 in national surveillance data, so the claims are a small fraction of bites. Separately, one case approved directly by the High Court received Rs 2.5 lakh.
How does dog bite compensation work in Kerala?
Kerala's system began in the Supreme Court. On 5 April 2016 the Court set up a committee under retired Justice S Siri Jagan to hear dog bite claims. In July 2018 it said the state must pay what the committee recommends, or face contempt.
The committee's backlog grew large. By June 2023 it had received 5,700 applications, examined 818 and fixed compensation in 749. On 28 July 2025 the Kerala High Court moved all claims to district committees under the District Legal Services Authorities.
Computed by dogeats.in from Kerala G.O.(Rt) No. 203/2023/LSGD (24 Jan 2023), reports 34 to 36 of the Siri Jagan Committee. Principal amounts, before 9% interest.
Show the numbers
| Label | awards |
|---|---|
| Under Rs 25,000 | 21 |
| Rs 25,000 to 49,999 | 63 |
| Rs 50,000 to 99,999 | 31 |
| Rs 1 lakh to 4.99 lakh | 12 |
| Rs 5 lakh and above | 1 |
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| Report | Awards | Claims closed without award | Total awarded (Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34th | 34 | 1 | 41,25,503 |
| 35th | 48 | 1 | 28,36,816 |
| 36th | 46 | 1 | 17,89,139 |
| All three | 128 | 3 | 87,51,458 |
Across the 128 awards the median was Rs 37,720 and the range Rs 16,000 to Rs 14.5 lakh. One claim was closed because a pet dog, not a stray, bit the claimant. The claims were filed between 2015 and 2021, and the median gap from claim to the government's sanction order was 4.1 years.
Larger awards do happen. The committee's 41st report, released in August 2024, recommended Rs 63.59 lakh for 34 victims, including Rs 17.53 lakh for one person. Kerala logged 1,15,046 dog bites in 2024 in national surveillance data.
Courts are widening liability too. On 28 July 2026 a Kerala High Court Division Bench held that a panchayat which neglects its duties under the ABC framework can be sued for a stray dog attack. It upheld Rs 10,000 in damages and said the three-year limitation period applies, not six months.
What is the dog bite compensation in Karnataka?
Karnataka issued a revised order on 19 November 2025 for the Greater Bengaluru Region. Families of people who die from a stray dog bite, or from rabies after one, get Rs 5 lakh from the state government. A bite injury with punctures, deep bruising, lacerations or multiple bites brings Rs 5,000.
The injury amount is split. Rs 3,500 goes to the victim directly and Rs 1,500 goes to the Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust for treatment costs. Each municipal corporation under the Greater Bengaluru Authority must form a Verification and Compensation Disbursement Committee.
The stakes are high in Karnataka. It logged 3,61,494 dog bites in 2024 in national surveillance data, the fourth highest of any state. A news report cited by the Supreme Court put Karnataka's bites at over 2 lakh in just January to April 2026.
Can you get dog bite compensation in Delhi or Maharashtra?
Not through a scheme. We found no notified dog bite compensation policy in Delhi or Maharashtra as of October 2026. Victims there turn to the High Court in a writ petition or file a civil suit for negligence.
Delhi's leading case is Geeta Devi v Government of NCT of Delhi, decided on 26 September 2024. A five-month-old was killed by a dog inside the family home. The High Court awarded Rs 2.5 lakh ex gratia from the Delhi government and left the negligence claim to a civil court.
| Court | Case | Facts | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi High Court | Geeta Devi v GNCTD (2024) | Infant killed by a dog inside the home | Rs 2.5 lakh ex gratia; civil court for more |
| Chhattisgarh High Court (Division Bench) | Bhaiya Lal Gond | Rabies deaths after stray dog bites, four state appeals | Rs 10 lakh reduced to Rs 6.5 lakh ex gratia |
| Chhattisgarh High Court | Vijay Das Manikpuri | Girl aged 7 died after a bite on the way home from school | Rs 6.5 lakh ex gratia |
| Bombay High Court (Division Bench) | Maruti Shrishailya Hale (2018) | Boy aged 5 killed by stray dogs in Sangli | Interim compensation from state and corporation |
| Orissa High Court | Bibhuti Charan Mohanty | Child playing beside his house killed by four roving dogs | Rs 10 lakh compensation |
| Kerala High Court (Division Bench) | Eruvessy Grama Panchayath v Tankappan (2026) | Stray dog attack; panchayat appealed a damages award | Rs 10,000 upheld; panchayat liable for neglect of duties |
The Bombay High Court held in the Sangli case that compensation under Article 226 is a public law remedy. In such claims the state cannot plead sovereign immunity. Maharashtra logged 4,85,345 dog bites in 2024, the most of any state, without a compensation scheme.
The state government has ruled out a scheme for now. On 10 December 2025 Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde told the Assembly that Maharashtra had over 30 lakh dog bites in six years. Asked about compensation for families of rabies victims, he said it did not arise at present, PTI reported.
Has the Supreme Court ordered dog bite compensation for the whole country?
No. On 13 January 2026 the bench hearing the stray dogs case said it would likely fix heavy compensation on states for every dog bite death or injury. That was an oral remark during a hearing, not an order.
The final judgment of 19 May 2026 did not set an amount. It warned that officials who ignore its orders may face contempt, disciplinary action and tortious liability. It also requires animal welfare or student groups that feed dogs on campuses to accept tortious liability by affidavit to the head of the institution. Our Supreme Court stray dogs order tracker has the full text summary.
Source: IDSP figures in Lok Sabha Unstarred Question 4870 (1 April 2025). Primary tone marks a state or UT with a scheme or committee route; muted marks none found in our search, October 2026.
Show the numbers
| Label | dog bite cases |
|---|---|
| Maharashtra (no scheme) | 4,85,345 |
| Tamil Nadu (none found for people) | 4,80,427 |
| Karnataka | 3,61,494 |
| Kerala | 1,15,046 |
| Haryana | 60,417 |
| Delhi (no scheme) | 25,210 |
| Punjab | 22,912 |
| Chandigarh | 8,644 |
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National surveillance logged 37,15,713 dog bites in 2024 in this reply; a later Lok Sabha reply of 22 July 2025 gives 37,17,336, as reported by IANS. Either way, the states with no compensation route account for a large share. More on the bite data is in our dog bite and rabies statistics report.
How do you apply for dog bite compensation?
Start with treatment, then paperwork. Go to a government hospital or anti-rabies clinic the same day and keep every slip. A medico-legal or treatment record of the bite is the base document for every scheme.
Then report the bite to the police so a Daily Diary Report (DDR) or FIR exists. In Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh the police must verify and report within 30 days. File the claim with the right committee within the time limit.
| State or UT | Where to file | Key documents | Time limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chandigarh | UT committee; manual forms at the MC office, Sector 17 | Medical report, police DDR | File within 3 months; award within 4 months |
| Punjab | District committee under the Deputy Commissioner | Medical report, police DDR or FIR | Claim within 1 year (delay condonable up to 3 years); award within 4 months |
| Haryana | District committee; DAYALU-II claims online for deaths and disability | Family ID (PPP), medical record, police record, death certificate if fatal | DAYALU-II: incidents from 24 May 2023; summaries cite a three-month window, so check the portal |
| Kerala | District Legal Services Authority, or a taluk legal services committee | Treatment records, details of the place and local body | No fixed limit published |
| Karnataka | Verification and Compensation Disbursement Committee of the corporation | Hospital record of the bite; death certificate if fatal | Not published |
| Delhi, Maharashtra, others | High Court writ petition or civil court | Medical records, police record, proof of stray dog | Limitation law applies |
- Wash the wound at once with soap and running water, then get anti-rabies treatment as your doctor advises.
- Ask for the bite to be recorded in the hospital register and keep the OPD slip and vaccine card.
- Report the bite at the police station and get a DDR or FIR copy.
- Keep photographs of the wound; the doctor or committee records the tooth marks and wound size.
- File with the right committee quickly: Chandigarh sets a three-month limit and Punjab one year.
Follow your doctor on the vaccine schedule; compensation never replaces treatment. If your state has no scheme, a lawyer or the District Legal Services Authority can advise on a writ petition. DLSAs also offer free legal aid to eligible people.
Frequently asked questions
How much compensation is given for a dog bite in India?
There is no national amount. In Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh the minimum is Rs 10,000 per tooth mark and Rs 20,000 per 0.2 cm of torn flesh. Karnataka's Greater Bengaluru order pays Rs 5,000 for a bite injury, and Punjab and Karnataka pay Rs 5 lakh for a death.
What is the dog bite compensation in Haryana?
For injuries, the Punjab and Haryana High Court set at least Rs 10,000 per tooth mark and Rs 20,000 per 0.2 cm of torn flesh, decided by a district committee. For a death or 70% disability, Haryana's DAYALU-II scheme pays Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh depending on the victim's age.
How do I apply for dog bite compensation online?
Haryana's DAYALU-II claims for death or permanent disability can be filed online through the scheme portal or Jan Sahayak app. Chandigarh accepts manual forms at the MC office in Sector 17 while its portal is built. Most other states use offline committees.
What is the dog bite compensation in Kerala?
Kerala awards compensation case by case, with 9% annual interest from the date of claim. Since July 2025, district committees under the District Legal Services Authorities hear claims. In 128 awards sanctioned in January 2023, the median was Rs 37,720.
Is there dog bite compensation in Delhi?
Delhi has no notified scheme. Victims can approach the Delhi High Court or a civil court. In September 2024 the High Court ordered Rs 2.5 lakh ex gratia for an infant killed by a dog and left further claims to a civil court.
What is the dog bite compensation in Karnataka?
Karnataka's order of 19 November 2025 pays Rs 5 lakh to the family if a stray dog bite causes death, including death from rabies. A bite injury brings Rs 5,000, with Rs 3,500 to the victim and Rs 1,500 for treatment. Reports differ on whether it covers only Greater Bengaluru or the whole state.
Is there dog bite compensation in Maharashtra?
We found no Maharashtra government scheme as of October 2026. Victims have gone to the Bombay High Court, which ordered interim compensation from the state and corporation in a 2018 case of a child killed by stray dogs in Sangli.
Has the Supreme Court fixed dog bite compensation?
No. In January 2026 the bench said in court that it would likely fix heavy compensation on states, but the 19 May 2026 judgment set no amount. It warned that officials who ignore its orders could face tortious liability.
Who pays dog bite compensation, the municipality or the state?
In Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh the state pays first and may recover from the agency at fault. In Kerala local bodies pay the awards. In Karnataka the state government pays, through the Urban Development Department for injuries.
Methodology and limitations
We compiled rates from High Court judgments as reported by LiveLaw, Verdictum and Bar and Bench, from state schemes as reported by The Tribune and others, and from primary documents. We also read the Punjab and Haryana High Court judgment of 18 August 2023, the Kerala government order G.O.(Rt) No. 203/2023/LSGD and the Delhi High Court judgment in Geeta Devi (2024:DHC:7468).
Kerala award statistics were computed by dogeats.in in Python from the 131 rows of that order: 128 awards and 3 closed claims. Medians, bands and waits use the claim dates and amounts printed there. Worked examples apply the High Court minimums arithmetically. Dog bite counts come from IDSP data in a Lok Sabha reply of 1 April 2025.
Sources
- Punjab and Haryana High Court, Rajwinder Kaur v State of Haryana, CWP-22904-2016 and 192 cases, pronounced 18 August 2023, Rs 10,000 per tooth mark, Rs 20,000 per 0.2 cm, committees, 30-day police report, four-month award, DAYALU-II and Punjab 2023 policy texts
- Government of Kerala, G.O.(Rt) No. 203/2023/LSGD, 24 January 2023, 128 awards, amounts, claim dates, 9% interest, SC orders of 2018
- Delhi High Court, Geeta Devi v GNCTD, 26 September 2024 (2024:DHC:7468), Rs 2.5 lakh ex gratia; awards by Chhattisgarh, Bombay and Orissa High Courts
- Also consulted: LiveLaw, 14 November 2023: Punjab and Haryana High Court on stray animal compensation, The Tribune, 14 August 2025: Chandigarh panel settles 184 of 495 claims, The News Minute, 20 November 2025: Karnataka order of 19 November 2025, The Tribune, 14 November 2023: Haryana relief for death or disability from stray animals, The Tribune, 12 December 2024, The Tribune, 22 July 2024, The Tribune, 28 March 2024, Onmanorama, 12 June 2023, Onmanorama, 21 August 2024, The News Minute (PTI), 6 April 2016, Free Press Journal, 20 November 2025, Verdictum, 13 January 2026, Lok Sabha Unstarred Question 4870, DAHD, 1 April 2025, Bar and Bench, 28 July 2025: Kerala High Court forms district bodies, LiveLaw, 31 July 2026: Eruvessy Grama Panchayath v Tankappan, The Week (PTI), 10 December 2025: Maharashtra Assembly on dog bites, NewsKarnataka, 20 November 2025, Verdictum, 16 November 2023, Sarkari Yojana summary of DAYALU-II (August 2026), Supreme Court judgment of 19 May 2026, Bar and Bench, 15 November 2023, IANS, 22 July 2025 (Lok Sabha dog bite total for 2024).
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