When stray animals make headlines in India, the narrative often follows a certain script: dog lovers versus those who see them as a menace. 

Citizens demand action after attacks. Animal rights activists defend the voiceless. In the noise of the polarised battle, the actual crisis sometimes slips out of focus: weak animal welfare laws, almost non-existent enforcement, and inadequate infrastructure for sterilisation and care.

This, in a system where abuse – including sex crimes – continues to flourish.

Weak penal provisions, little policing, no data

In April 2025, a two-month-old puppy was found severely injured in Delhi’s Saket. The veterinarian who examined her suspected sexual assault, citing specific injuries and physical evidence. But police dismissed the case as a traffic accident. Activist Priya Chopra told Newslaundry, “It’s been months, and the police have given no update.”

This is part of a pattern across India. 

PETA India reported nearly 30 such cases since July 2024, with FIRs filed in only 13. When cases do reach the legal system, they often hit a wall of inadequate laws. The situation worsened in 2024 when the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita replaced the Indian Penal Code. While Section 377 of the old IPC had covered sexual acts against animals, no equivalent provision exists in the new BNS.

According to lawyer Shreya Paropkari, legal consultant with Humane World for Animals India, “there is no direct section now in BNS which has a direct provision that says bestiality is an offence”. This gap forces authorities to rely on the weaker punitive provisions under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, first-time offenders face a maximum penalty of just Rs 50 and three months’ imprisonment. “Even if we file an FIR, the penalty is just Rs 50, and the accused gets bail,” claimed activist Priya Chopra.

The Parliamentary Committee’s 246th Report flagged this omission and recommended reinstating section 377 to cover sexual violence, including bestiality. Three years later, Parliament is yet to act. 

In May 2025, the Delhi High Court asked the Centre to treat a petition – by the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations – on animal sexual abuse laws as a formal representation, but progress remains stalled.

Such cases are not documented in official records. 

In response to an RTI by FIAPO, the National Crime Records Bureau admitted it lacked specific data on cases under animal protection laws. However, a May 2025 FIAPO report documented nearly 1,000 animal assault cases between 2010 and 2020, including 82 sexual abuse cases and 266 killings. 

This is in stark contrast with global precedent. In England, sexual acts with animals carry penalties under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Germany’s Animal Welfare Act imposes fines up to €25,000. Australia’s Crimes Act prescribes up to 10 years in prison. In the United States, laws vary by state but include both misdemeanor and felony classifications.

A 2021 study found that 96 percent of juveniles who engaged in sexual acts with animals also confessed to sex offences against humans. Animal activists stress that bestiality comes with abuse.

According to Varnika Singh, advocate at the Supreme Court and Head Legal Consultant at FIAPO, “The law should definitely treat animal cruelty as a serious crime and recognise its consequences for human society as well. There is almost no research on this topic within India; most available literature is based on international studies.”

The absence of literature only suggests the system is ill-equipped to address the issue.

Poor infra

Delhi’s animal welfare infrastructure exemplifies this crisis. In the 2025-26 MCD budget of Rs 17,000 crore, less than 1 percent is allocated to veterinary services. Of the city’s 77 government veterinary hospitals, many lack basic facilities, according to a petition by animal rights activists in a 2023 Delhi High Court petition. Meanwhile, the statutory Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals remains largely non-functional, with only one district having a notified SPCA as of 2021.

The mass sterilisation programme is lagging behind. Delhi has an estimated stray dog population of around 10 lakh but only 4.7 lakh were sterilised in 2023. While there is a gap in sterilisation, the city has seen a sharp uptick in dogbite cases. Delhi saw a 40 percent rise in dog bites in 2024, when compared to the previous year. 

To tackle the city’s dog population, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced the rehabilitation of stray dogs as part of a large-scale cleanliness drive in the national capital. Many animal welfare organisations and dog lovers slammed the announcement, similar to protests against the Supreme Court’s order to relocate stray dogs this week.

Several countries have addressed similar issues. In the Netherlands, the stray dog population was brought under control through a state-funded sterilisation campaign that covered over 70 percent of female dogs, alongside tough animal welfare laws carrying prison terms of up to three years and steep penalties for neglect or abandonment. The country also introduced a high tax to deter puppy sales and launched a nationwide adoption initiative.

Newslaundry has reached out to the Animal Welfare Board of India, Delhi Development Ministry’s Animal Husbandry unit, MCD, and Commissioner of Delhi Police for comment. This report will be updated if a response is received.

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