Data report · Updated October 2026
Stray dog population by city in India 2026: Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune compared
Hyderabad reported the largest city stray dog count, 3,79,156 in 2024, followed by Bengaluru at 2,79,335 and Chennai at about 1.81 lakh. Mumbai's 2024 survey found 90,757. Officials put Hyderabad's wider core urban area at about 4.70 lakh in May 2026. Delhi has had no official survey since 2009, and estimates range from 55,462 to over 8 lakh.
Key findings
- Hyderabad's corporation told the Telangana High Court in July 2024 that 3,79,156 dogs live in its limits, and 80% of them are sterilised.
- Bengaluru's 2023 survey counted 2,79,335 street dogs, about 10% fewer than the roughly 3.1 lakh found in 2019.
- Chennai's 2024 survey found about 1.81 lakh street dogs, 3.1 times the 58,000 counted in 2018, with only 27% sterilised.
- Mumbai's 2024 survey estimated 90,757 dogs, down 4.64% on 95,172 in 2014, but the sterilised share fell from 74.8% to 62.9%.
- Mumbai's P North ward had the most roaming street dogs, an estimated 5,847, with 17.61 dogs counted per km of road.
- Delhi's corporation sterilised 4,80,342 dogs between April 2019 and December 2024, yet the city has had no official dog survey since 2009.
- City surveys counted 7.3 times the 2019 Livestock Census figure in Chennai and 2 times in Bengaluru.
- Pune's dog bite cases rose 85% from 16,561 in 2022 to 30,613 in 2025, and reached 24,803 in the first seven months of 2026.
Which Indian city has the most stray dogs?
Hyderabad has the largest published city figure. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation told the Telangana High Court in July 2024 that 3,79,156 dogs lived in its limits. Bengaluru follows with 2,79,335 in its 2023 survey.
Chennai counted about 1.81 lakh in 2024, and Mumbai estimated 90,757 the same year. Pune's corporation puts its figure at about 80,000 but has not published a survey.
Delhi is the gap. Its last official count was in 2009, and current figures range from 55,462 to over 8 lakh. National and state counts are in our India street dog population report.
Sources: GHMC via Deccan Chronicle (Jul 2024). BBMP via PTI (2023). GCC via DT Next (2024). BMC survey report (2024). PMC estimate via Free Press Journal (2026). Kollam survey via Onmanorama (2026). Methods differ. Delhi is left out as it has no official count.
Show the numbers
| Label | dogs |
|---|---|
| Hyderabad, 2024 | 3,79,156 |
| Bengaluru, 2023 | 2,79,335 |
| Chennai, 2024 | about 1.81 lakh |
| Mumbai, 2024 | 90,757 |
| Pune, 2026 estimate | about 80,000 |
| Kollam, 2026 | 10,761 |
Embed this chart
| City | Stray dogs | Year | Share sterilised (%) | Source | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyderabad (GHMC) | 3,79,156 | 2024 | 80 | GHMC statement to Telangana High Court, via Deccan Chronicle | Official claim, method not published |
| Hyderabad core urban region | about 4,70,000 | 2026 | over 80 (claim) | Officials, via The Hans India, 4 May 2026 | Official estimate for GHMC, Cyberabad and Malkajgiri corporations, method not published |
| Bengaluru (BBMP) | 2,79,335 | 2023 | 71.85 | BBMP survey, via PTI | Street survey |
| Chennai (GCC) | 1,81,000 | 2024 | 27 | GCC survey with World Veterinary Service, via DT Next | Street survey, counted three times |
| Mumbai (BMC) | 90,757 | 2024 | 62.9 | BMC and Humane Society International/India survey report | Street survey with population model |
| Pune (PMC) | 80,000 | 2026 | n/a | PMC estimate, via Free Press Journal | Estimate, no published survey |
| Kollam Corporation | 10,761 | 2026 | 83 | Dog Pop Survey with World Wide Veterinary Service, via Onmanorama | Street survey |
| Lucknow | n/a | 2025 | 84 | Humane World for Animals India survey | Sterilisation survey only |
| Delhi | 55,462 to 8,25,313 | 2019 to 2025 | n/a | Livestock Census 2019; unpublished Thinkpaws study via Al Jazeera | No official survey since 2009 |
These figures are not like for like. Some are street surveys, one is a model-based estimate, and Hyderabad's is an official claim with no published method. The table says which is which.
How many stray dogs are there in Delhi?
Nobody knows for sure. Delhi's last official stray dog census was in 2009, which counted about 5.6 lakh dogs, The Tribune reported in August 2025. A Delhi Assembly subcommittee estimated about 8 lakh in 2019.
The 2019 Livestock Census counted only 55,462 stray dogs across Delhi's 11 districts. An unpublished Thinkpaws study extrapolated 8,25,313, Al Jazeera reported. That is 14.9 times the census figure.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi sterilised 4,80,342 dogs from April 2019 to December 2024, RTI data shows. It sterilised another 49,424 and vaccinated 52,457 from January to June 2026, it told the Delhi High Court.
Sources: Thinkpaws study (unpublished) via Al Jazeera, Aug 2025; Delhi Assembly subcommittee and 2009 census via The Tribune, Aug 2025; DAHD 20th Livestock Census 2019. Lakh figures are rounded as reported.
Show the numbers
| Label | dogs |
|---|---|
| Thinkpaws extrapolation, 2025 | 8,25,313 |
| Assembly subcommittee, 2019 | about 8 lakh |
| Official census, 2009 | about 5.6 lakh |
| Livestock Census, 2019 | 55,462 |
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Source: MCD Department of Veterinary Services via RTI, reported by The Tribune, 14 Aug 2025 (to Dec 2024). MCD to Delhi High Court, via The Tribune, 1 Aug 2026 (Jan to Jun 2026). The last two bars are part years.
Show the numbers
| Label | dogs |
|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 99,997 |
| 2020-21 | 51,990 |
| 2021-22 | 91,326 |
| 2022-23 | 59,076 |
| 2023-24 | 79,959 |
| Apr-Dec 2024 | 97,994 |
| Jan-Jun 2026 | 49,424 |
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Delhi's capacity is under strain. Seven of the city's 20 ABC centres had been shut since October, The Tribune reported in August 2026. A shelter for 1,500 aggressive and biting dogs at Dwarka is due by December 2026.
On 11 August 2025, a two-judge Supreme Court bench ordered shelters for Delhi-NCR dogs and barred their re-release, The Week reported. A three-judge bench changed this on 22 August 2025. Sterilised dogs now go back to their own area, except rabid or aggressive ones. Our Supreme Court orders tracker follows each order.
How many stray dogs are there in Mumbai?
Mumbai had an estimated 90,757 stray dogs in 2024, according to the BMC's survey with Humane Society International/India. That is 4.64% fewer than the 95,172 estimated in 2014.
Fewer of them are sterilised. The share fell from 74.8% in 2014 to 62.9% in 2024. It dropped in 17 of the 23 ward rows in the report's Table 4, and in slum areas. Wards S, T and RS were below 50%.
The suburbs hold the most dogs. P North ward had an estimated 5,847 roaming street dogs, the highest of any ward. Surveyors counted 17.61 dogs per km of road there.
Source: BMC Street Dog Population Survey Report 2024-2025, Table 3. Street dogs only, corrected for detectability; slum areas were estimated separately at 21,094. Ward RC was surveyed with RN. Wards RN and RC share one sterilisation figure, 73.1%, in Table 4.
Show the numbers
| Label | dogs |
|---|---|
| Ward PN | 5,847 |
| Ward RC | 4,041 |
| Ward L | 3,855 |
| Ward N | 3,835 |
| Ward PS | 3,210 |
| Ward S | 3,048 |
| Ward MW | 2,846 |
| Ward ME | 2,705 |
| Ward RS | 2,382 |
| Ward T | 2,070 |
| Ward RN | 1,935 |
| Ward FN | 1,675 |
| Ward KE | 1,480 |
| Ward KW | 1,440 |
| Ward GN | 1,385 |
| Ward FS | 1,136 |
| Ward E | 1,130 |
| Ward B | 1,049 |
| Ward HE | 876 |
| Ward GS | 647 |
| Ward A | 622 |
| Ward D | 583 |
| Ward C | 417 |
| Ward HW | 371 |
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| Ward | Dogs counted per km | Estimated dogs on streets during the survey | Estimated roaming street dogs | Share sterilised (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PN | 17.61 | 2,339 | 5,847 | 50.1 |
| RC | 11.8 | 1,617 | 4,041 | 73.1 |
| L | 13.52 | 1,542 | 3,855 | 67.6 |
| N | 12.81 | 1,534 | 3,835 | 64.4 |
| PS | 9.6 | 1,284 | 3,210 | 72.6 |
| S | 7.62 | 1,219 | 3,048 | 44.2 |
| MW | 10.12 | 1,138 | 2,846 | 61.4 |
| ME | 9.34 | 1,082 | 2,705 | 70.8 |
| RS | 9.06 | 953 | 2,382 | 49.5 |
| T | 12.05 | 828 | 2,070 | 46.7 |
| RN | 12.94 | 774 | 1,935 | 73.1 |
| FN | 7.35 | 670 | 1,675 | 66.6 |
| KE | 6.73 | 592 | 1,480 | 61.5 |
| KW | 3.28 | 576 | 1,440 | 63.5 |
| GN | 7.33 | 554 | 1,385 | 89.6 |
| FS | 6.42 | 455 | 1,136 | 67.9 |
| E | 7.52 | 452 | 1,130 | 68.8 |
| B | 9.47 | 420 | 1,049 | 68.6 |
| HE | 4.23 | 350 | 876 | 63.8 |
| GS | 4.24 | 259 | 647 | 76.6 |
| A | 3.3 | 249 | 622 | 82.2 |
| D | 2.91 | 233 | 583 | 82.7 |
| C | 5.01 | 167 | 417 | 83.8 |
| HW | 1.73 | 149 | 371 | 78.8 |
The report gives two totals. Its ward table adds street and slum estimates to 69,679, while its survival model puts the city at 90,757. BMC and the state government quote the second figure.
The BMC sterilised 25,211 stray dogs from April 2024 to March 2025, an additional municipal commissioner told the civic House in August 2026, Free Press Journal reported.
Bites are rising even as the count falls slightly. Mumbai logged 1,28,252 dog bite cases in 2024, the state told the legislative council. The BMC reported 1,54,017 in 2025, up 20.1%.
How many stray dogs are there in Bengaluru?
Bengaluru had 2,79,335 street dogs in BBMP's 2023 survey, reported by PTI. The 2019 survey had found about 3.1 lakh, so numbers fell by about 10%.
Sterilisation rose over the same period, from 51.16% of dogs in 2019 to 71.85% in 2023. Bengaluru is the only metro with a published survey above the 70% target in our ABC coverage report.
Bites are going the other way. The Greater Bengaluru Authority recorded 18,140 dog bite cases from January to May 2026, against 11,647 in the same months of 2025. That is a 55.7% rise.
Source: GBA data via Deccan Herald, 18 June 2026. 2025 figures were recorded by BBMP, which the GBA replaced.
Show the numbers
| Label | cases |
|---|---|
| Jan-May 2025 | 11,647 |
| Jan-May 2026 | 18,140 |
| 2026: stray dogs | 10,563 |
| 2026: pet dogs | 7,577 |
Embed this chart
Pet dogs caused 7,577 of the 2026 bites, about 42%. A GBA official said free vaccine also means more bites are now reported, Deccan Herald noted. Activists called the numbers inflated.
In December 2025 the GBA had identified over 3,000 dogs at schools, hospitals and other institutions needing shelter under the Supreme Court's order, Deccan Herald reported. Its shelters could hold about 1,000.
How many stray dogs are there in Chennai?
Chennai had about 1.81 lakh street dogs in the Greater Chennai Corporation's 2024 survey, up from 58,000 in 2018. World Veterinary Service ran the count three times on different days, DT Next reported.
Only 27% of the dogs were sterilised. Ambattur zone had the most dogs, 23,980, and the lowest coverage at 18%. Alandur had the fewest, 4,875, and the highest coverage at 57%.
The pace has picked up since. The corporation sterilised 52,226 dogs from January to July 2026 at 11 centres, DT Next reported on 24 July 2026. It plans four more centres.
| Zone | Stray dogs | Share sterilised (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 7, Ambattur | 23,980 | 18 |
| Zone 3, Madhavaram | 17,096 | n/a |
| Zone 15, Sholinganallur | 16,195 | n/a |
| Zone 12, Alandur | 4,875 | 57 |
| Zone 13, Adyar | n/a | 36 |
| Zone 2, Manali | n/a | 21 |
| Zone 4, Tondiarpet | n/a | 19 |
| All Chennai | 1,81,000 | 27 |
DT Next reported figures for only seven of the 15 zones. We show those and leave the rest blank rather than estimate them.
How many stray dogs are there in Hyderabad, Pune and other cities?
Hyderabad's corporation says it has 3,79,156 dogs, 3,03,200 of them sterilised, or 80%. It gave those figures to the Telangana High Court in July 2024. With about 80 lakh residents, that is one dog for every 21 people.
GHMC sterilised 1,73,362 dogs in the three years to 2023-24, Siasat reported. In February 2025 the commissioner told the High Court it had spent over Rs 29 crore on sterilisation in three years.
A newer estimate covers a wider area. In May 2026 officials put the core urban region, mainly GHMC plus the Cyberabad and Malkajgiri corporations, at about 4.70 lakh dogs, The Hans India reported. GHMC's chief veterinary officer said over 80% were sterilised.
Pune's corporation estimates about 80,000 stray dogs and plans a fresh census. Its dog bite cases rose from 16,561 in 2022 to 30,613 in 2025. From January to July 2026 it logged 24,803, already 81% of the 2025 total.
Sources: PMC health department reply to a corporator, via The Karbhari, 21 May 2026 (2022 to 2025). PMC veterinary department via Free Press Journal, 21 Aug 2026 (Jan to Jul 2026, part year).
Show the numbers
| Label | cases |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 16,561 |
| 2023 | 22,945 |
| 2024 | 25,899 |
| 2025 | 30,613 |
| Jan-Jul 2026 | 24,803 |
Embed this chart
Sources: Humane World for Animals India (Lucknow, Mar 2025); Kollam survey via Onmanorama (2026); GHMC claim (Hyderabad, 2024); BBMP (2023); BMC (2024); GCC (2024). Hyderabad is an official claim, not a published survey.
Show the numbers
| Label | % |
|---|---|
| Lucknow, 2025 | 84% |
| Kollam, 2026 | 83% |
| Hyderabad, 2024 (claim) | 80% |
| Bengaluru, 2023 | 71.85% |
| Mumbai, 2024 | 62.9% |
| Chennai, 2024 | 27% |
Embed this chart
Lucknow and Kollam are the success stories on paper. A Humane World for Animals India survey found 84% of Lucknow's street dogs sterilised in March 2025, after more than 89,000 surgeries since 2019. Kollam's 2026 survey found 83%. Kerala's wider picture is in our Kerala stray dogs report.
Kolkata and Ahmedabad have no published city survey we could find. Their 2019 Livestock Census district counts were 21,146 and 41,572.
Which city has the most dog bite cases?
Mumbai reported the highest city figure we found, 1,54,017 dog bite cases in 2025, from BMC data. Delhi's corporation recorded 68,090 in 2024, PTI reported.
Totals depend on who counts. For 2024, Delhi's MCD figure was 2.7 times the 25,210 bites the national IDSP table shows for the whole of Delhi. In Delhi's case, the city's own figure is the larger one.
The Supreme Court's 19 May 2026 judgment cited at least 31 bite incidents at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport since 1 January 2026. Our India dog bite and rabies report has state totals.
Sources: BMC via Free Press Journal (Mumbai 2025). Maharashtra legislative council reply via PTI (Mumbai and Nagpur 2024). MCD via PTI (Delhi 2024). PMC via The Karbhari (Pune 2025). Kerala assembly records via Onmanorama (Thiruvananthapuram district 2024).
Show the numbers
| Label | cases |
|---|---|
| Mumbai, 2025 | 1,54,017 |
| Mumbai, 2024 | 1,28,252 |
| Delhi (MCD), 2024 | 68,090 |
| Thiruvananthapuram district, 2024 | 50,870 |
| Pune, 2025 | 30,613 |
| Nagpur, 2024 | 9,427 |
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| City | Dog bite cases | Period | Reported by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mumbai | 1,54,017 | 2025 | BMC, in the civic House |
| Mumbai | 1,28,252 | 2024 | Maharashtra Deputy CM, legislative council |
| Delhi (MCD area) | 68,090 | 2024 | MCD data, via PTI |
| Delhi (whole state) | 25,210 | 2024 | IDSP, Lok Sabha reply |
| Thiruvananthapuram district | 50,870 | 2024 | Kerala assembly records |
| Pune | 30,613 | 2025 | PMC health department |
| Pune | 24,803 | Jan to Jul 2026 | PMC veterinary department |
| Bengaluru (GBA) | 18,140 | Jan to May 2026 | GBA data |
| Nagpur | 9,427 | 2024 | Maharashtra Deputy CM, legislative council |
We found no full-year 2025 bite count for Chennai or Hyderabad from the city corporations, so they are left out. If you are bitten, wash the wound for 15 minutes with soap and water and see a doctor the same day.
Why do city stray dog counts differ from the Livestock Census?
City surveys find far more dogs than the national count. Chennai's 2024 survey counted 7.3 times the 24,827 that the 2019 Livestock Census found in Chennai district. Bengaluru's 2023 survey counted twice the census figure for Bengaluru Urban.
The methods differ. The Livestock Census counts animals through a household livestock enumeration, run alongside the count of cattle and poultry. City surveys drive or walk fixed routes at dawn and use models to correct for dogs they miss.
Boundaries also differ. A corporation and a district rarely cover the same ground, and Hyderabad's GHMC spans parts of several districts. So the ratios are a rough guide, not an exact measure of undercounting.
Sources: DAHD district file, 20th Livestock Census 2019; BBMP 2023; GCC 2024; BMC 2024. City and district boundaries differ.
Show the numbers
| Label | dogs |
|---|---|
| Bengaluru survey, 2023 | 2,79,335 |
| Bengaluru Urban census, 2019 | 1,36,886 |
| Chennai survey, 2024 | about 1.81 lakh |
| Chennai census, 2019 | 24,827 |
| Mumbai survey, 2024 | 90,757 |
| Mumbai census, 2019 | 50,799 |
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| City | Census 2019 district count | Latest city figure | Survey to census ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi (11 districts) | 55,462 | no official survey | n/a |
| Bengaluru Urban | 1,36,886 | 2,79,335 | 2.0 |
| Pune district | 2,11,982 | about 80,000 (city only) | n/a |
| Mumbai | 50,799 | 90,757 | 1.8 |
| Ahmedabad | 41,572 | no published survey | n/a |
| Lucknow | 32,831 | no published count | n/a |
| Chennai | 24,827 | 1,81,000 | 7.3 |
| Kolkata | 21,146 | no published survey | n/a |
| Hyderabad district | 10,553 | 3,79,156 (GHMC, wider area) | n/a |
Al Jazeera reported in August 2025 that the 21st Livestock Census was delayed. We found no stray dog figures from it by October 2026. Most Indian city dogs are indies; our Indian Pariah Dog guide explains the type.
Frequently asked questions
How many stray dogs are there in Delhi?
Delhi has no current official count. The 2019 Livestock Census found 55,462, the 2009 city census about 5.6 lakh, and a 2019 Assembly subcommittee estimated about 8 lakh. An unpublished 2025 study extrapolated 8,25,313.
What is the stray dog population in Mumbai?
Mumbai had an estimated 90,757 stray dogs in the BMC's 2024 survey, down from 95,172 in 2014. About 62.9% were sterilised. P North ward had the most street dogs, about 5,847.
How many stray dogs are there in Bengaluru?
BBMP's 2023 survey counted 2,79,335 street dogs in Bengaluru, about 10% fewer than in 2019. About 71.85% were sterilised, the highest published share among the metros.
How many stray dogs are there in Chennai?
The Greater Chennai Corporation's 2024 survey found about 1.81 lakh street dogs, up from 58,000 in 2018. Only 27% were sterilised. Ambattur zone had the most, 23,980.
How many stray dogs are there in Hyderabad?
The GHMC told the Telangana High Court in July 2024 that 3,79,156 dogs live in its limits, of which 3,03,200 were sterilised. In May 2026 officials estimated about 4.70 lakh for the wider core urban region. Neither figure has a published method.
Which Indian city has the most stray dogs?
Hyderabad has the largest published figure, 3,79,156 in 2024, followed by Bengaluru at 2,79,335. Delhi may have more, but it has had no official survey since 2009.
Which city has the most dog bites in India?
Among city figures we found, Mumbai had the most, 1,54,017 dog bite cases in 2025. Delhi's corporation recorded 68,090 in 2024 and Pune 30,613 in 2025.
Why is the Livestock Census count of stray dogs so low in cities?
The census counts dogs door to door alongside livestock, and city surveys use dawn route counts with correction models. Chennai's 2024 survey found 7.3 times the census figure for Chennai district.
Methodology and limitations
We took the newest published count for each city and labelled its type: a street survey, a model estimate or an official claim. Mumbai ward figures are from Table 3 and Table 4 of the BMC Street Dog Population Survey Report 2024-2025. We checked that ward figures add up to the report's street total of 48,585.
Census figures are from the DAHD district file of the 20th Livestock Census, 2019. Delhi's figure is the sum of its 11 districts. Ratios, percentage changes and sums are dogeats.in calculations.
Bite figures come from city corporations, state legislature replies and the national IDSP table, as reported. We did not combine figures from different systems into one total.
Sources
- BMC Street Dog Population Survey Report 2024-2025, Mumbai population, ward counts, sterilisation by ward
- DAHD, district-wise stray dogs, 20th Livestock Census 2019, Census counts for city districts
- Supreme Court of India, judgment of 19 May 2026, Suo Motu WP(C) 5 of 2025, Delhi airport bite incidents, earlier orders
- Also consulted: Deccan Chronicle, 20 July 2024, Deccan Chronicle, 5 February 2025, Siasat Daily, 21 May 2024, The Hans India, 4 May 2026, PTI via Deccan Herald, 4 October 2023, Citizen Matters, Deccan Herald, 18 June 2026, DT Next, 21 September 2024, DT Next, 24 July 2026, OpenCity, 3 February 2026, Free Press Journal, 20 August 2026, PTI via Deccan Herald, 13 December 2025, The Tribune, 14 August 2025, The Tribune, 1 August 2026, Al Jazeera, 30 August 2025, PTI via The Week, 11 August 2025, Lok Sabha Unstarred Question 4870, 1 April 2025, The Week, 22 August 2025, IANS, 22 August 2025, Free Press Journal, 21 August 2026, The Karbhari, 21 May 2026, Humane World for Animals, 27 March 2025, Onmanorama, 19 September 2026, Onmanorama, 3 February 2025, Deccan Herald, 11 December 2025, Gujarat Samachar, 28 September 2026, on Ahmedabad dog bites (figures inconsistent, not used).
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