India has around 80 million homeless dogs, cats have the highest levels of abandonment as per the Mars Petcare India report. The Index revealed that an estimated 79.9 million homeless cats and dogs in India are living in shelters or on the streets. Based on various factors influencing pet homelessness - all pets wanted, cared for, and welcome - India had an overall index tally of 2.4 out of 10.
As per the EPH Index data for India, 82% of dogs in India are considered street dogs, 53% of people feel street dogs present a danger to people, 65% of people fear a dog bite, and 82% of people believe that street dogs should be removed and put in shelters, out of the streets.
Education about street dogs can play a large role in reducing stigmas and driving a culture of ownership. Vaccinations can reduce animal-human conflict and sterlisation can reduce the number of strays on the streets, it added.
The single most important thing that we can do to save cats and dogs from the suffering and death caused by overpopulation is to get our animal companions spayed/ neutered.
Every February on the last Tuesday of the month, World Spay Day celebrates the importance of animal birth control and encourages all guardians of dogs and cats to have them spayed or neutered.