Dog bite cases continue to rise sharply in Maharashtra, with nearly 5 lakh incidents and 19 rabies deaths recorded in the first quarter of 2026 alone. In 2025 15.19 lakh cases of dog bites were recorded across the state which rose from 11.41 lakhs cases of dog bites in 2024. Doctors pointed out that the rise in dog bite cases is due to a combination of a large stray dog population, easy access to food through open garbage, territorial behaviour during breeding cycles, and increased reporting through improved surveillance systems. According to the State Public Health Department’s data, from January to March 2026, 4,99,553 dog bite cases are recorded and 19 rabies deaths happened in Pune (9), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (1), Chandrapur (1), Nagpur (1), Wardha (1), Mumbai (1), Thane (2), Sangli (1), Satara (1), and Raigad (1).…