Bengaluru, India: A Welsh national was bitten by a stray dog during his morning run near the old airport terminal on HAL Road on Sunday, highlighting ongoing safety issues caused by the city’s growing stray dog population.
The Incident
Oliver Jones, who works with a local startup, recounted that a pack of stray dogs chased him for nearly 100 metres before one attacked and bit his ankle. He shared the ordeal on social media, writing:
“These ones were weird as they chased me for more than 100 metres, before taking a chunk out of my ankle.”
Bystanders rushed him to a nearby hospital, where he received anti-rabies and tetanus shots. Jones added that his wife had narrowly avoided a similar attack the previous week.
Public Reaction
The social media post drew widespread attention, with many Bengaluru residents sharing similar experiences:
- Richard Kingston: “There’s a bunch of stray dogs near the Commercial Street signal that chase me every morning. These dogs are very aggressive.”
- Aishwarya Ramesh, HAL 3rd Stage resident: “It’s terrifying these days. One feels unsafe even walking to the grocery shop after dusk.”
A retired Air Force official noted multiple complaints to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), stating that the number of stray dogs appears to be rising despite repeated reports.
Data and Expert Insights
According to the Animal Husbandry wing of the GBA, Bengaluru recorded over 14,500 stray dog bites between January and August 2025, with an expected annual total of around 30,000 cases. Animal welfare experts point to insufficient sterilisation and vaccination drives as key factors exacerbating the problem.
Authority Response
GBA officials assured that teams are actively conducting sterilisation drives and ensuring most dogs in their database are covered under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) and vaccination programmes.
Oliver Jones reported that he is recovering well, though the incident has left a lasting impact, especially since he is generally fond of stray animals.