Delhi isn’t unsafe because of street dogs. It’s unsafe because of humans. The headlines scream “dog menace,” but the daily lived reality of most Delhiites? They’re more scared of two-legged predators than four-legged ones.

Yes, dog bites are real. Rabies is real. But so is harassment in broad daylight, snatchers on bikes, and drunk drivers turning roads into death traps. If Delhi’s safety could be fixed by simply rounding up every “dangerous” element, the jails would be overflowing with men who catcall, stalk, and assault, not kennels packed with terrified strays.

The Convenient Villain

This Supreme Court ruling to scoop up every stray dog and dump them into shelters in 8 weeks? It feels less like public safety and more like public optics. You can’t solve decades of failed waste management, broken sterilisation programs, and zero rabies awareness by pretending that the “dog menace” is the core problem.

What you’re really doing is picking the easiest, most voiceless target. Strays don’t vote. Strays don’t protest outside court. They can’t file counter-petitions or go on TV debates. They’re the perfect PR enemy: visible, blameable, and unable to fight back.

Safety ≠ Sanitisation

Removing dogs from the streets won’t suddenly turn Delhi into a safe city.

  • That dark lane without lighting? Still unsafe, just quieter without barking.
  • Those bike-borne chain snatchers? Still there, just with fewer chasing tails.
  • That drunk driver running a red light? Still a threat just without the stray to accidentally save your life by blocking the road.

We’ve confused clearing the streets with clearing the danger. They’re not the same thing.

The Humane, Logical Fix

If the goal is public health, then go for mass vaccinations, waste management to reduce scavenging, and responsible feeding zones. If the goal is safety, invest in street lighting, women’s safety patrols, and actual crime prevention. But please, stop pretending that a city without dogs is automatically a safer one.

Delhi’s safety crisis has teeth, but not the kind attached to a tail. Until we confront the real predators, removing the dogs is just removing the decoy.