KOCHI: A recent rabid dog incident in Eroor has reignited concerns over stray dog management and rabies prevention in the region after several residents, including a 14-year-old boy, were bitten by the animal before it was found dead and confirmed to have rabies.
According to Tripunithura municipal chairperson P L Babu, the authorities traced those bitten and advised them to undergo anti-rabies vaccination after a postmortem examination confirmed the dog was rabies-infected.
The incident has heightened concerns in the backdrop of schools reopening and children commuting on foot through local roads. The boy was bitten on Nair Samajam Road on May 26. Local residents said the area has a sizeable stray dog population and fear that similar incidents could occur in the future.
While local authorities maintain that the incident is an isolated one, concerns remain about the possibility that the infected dog may have bitten other animals before it died. Ward councillor Sreelatha Madhusoodanan acknowledged the concern but said rabies-related incidents have become less frequent in recent years.
Dr Manju Mathew, veterinary surgeon at the Tripunithura Veterinary Hospital, said the municipality regularly conducts animal birth control (ABC) surgeries and anti-rabies vaccination drives.
“A vaccination campaign was carried out in April and the local ABC centre continues to function,” she said.
However, she pointed out that the facility has only 16 kennels and requires greater capacity to handle the stray dog population effectively.
Municipal authorities are also attempting to establish additional shelter facilities, though land availability and high costs remain major challenges in the urban area.
The issue of feeding stray dogs remains contentious. Dr Manju said indiscriminate feeding and poor waste management contribute to the growth of stray dog populations.
Animal welfare activists, however, argue that responsible feeding in designated locations should not be blamed and can in fact assist authorities in identifying and sterilising unvaccinated animals.
The Eroor incident comes amid a broader rise in dog-bite cases across Kerala. The state reported 3.69 lakh dog-bite cases in 2025, up from 3.17 lakh in 2024.
Ernakulam recorded 35,681 cases, placing it among the districts with the highest number of reported dog bites after Kollam and Thrissur. Kerala also recorded 33 rabies-related deaths in 2025, compared to 26 deaths the previous year.
Mission Rabies officials said awareness programmes are being conducted in schools across the state and that safety education initiatives would be extended to schools in the Eroor area.
3.69L dog-bites in 2025
The state reported 3.69 lakh dog-bite cases in 2025. Ernakulam recorded 35,681 cases, placing it among the districts with the highest number of reported dog bites after Kollam and Thrissur. Kerala also recorded 33 rabies-related deaths in 2025, compared to 26 deaths the previous year
