The Global Stray Dog Crisis: A Location-by-Location Look (2024–2025)

The stray dog crisis is one of the most pressing yet overlooked animal welfare issues of our time. Across continents, millions of dogs live without homes, facing hunger, disease, and persecution. The crisis looks different in each country, shaped by culture, politics, economics, and public health systems. But the thread that unites them is clear: systemic neglect of both dogs and the communities they live in.

Below, we explore the situation region by region, supported by the most recent data available (2024–2025).

The Global Picture

• There are an estimated 900 million dogs worldwide.

• Of these, hundreds of millions are free-roaming, living as strays, feral dogs, or “community dogs.”

• Recent research suggests that India, Mexico, Turkey, Pakistan, and Morocco are among the hardest hit

India: The World’s Largest Stray Dog Population

• India is estimated to have 52–70 million stray dogs.

• Delhi alone is thought to host around 1 million street dogs.

• In 2024, 3.7 million dog bites were officially recorded, and rabies still causes ~18,000–20,000 deaths per year.

• While many NGOs run Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (CNVR) programmes, progress is slowed by lack of funding and infrastructure.

Mexico: A Community-Led Battle

• Mexico has around 18 million dogs, and 70% (≈12.6 million) live on the streets

• In Yucatán, more than 50,000 dogs and cats roam freely; 2,000 die each year in Mérida alone.

• Grassroots sterilisation and rescue projects are on the rise, but systemic support remains weak.

Turkey: A Country Divided

• Turkey has around 4 million stray dogs.

• New laws require municipalities to remove, sterilise, and shelter strays, with euthanasia allowed for “aggressive or diseased” dogs.

• Istanbul and Ankara alone was home to tens of thousands of dogs, many cared for by local communities.

Pakistan: Millions at Risk

• Pakistan is estimated to have 3 million stray dogs

• Karachi alone has around 200,000 stray dogs, where mass poisoning campaigns are still common.

• Public health authorities push culling as rabies prevention, despite growing calls for CNVR as a humane alternative.

Morocco: The Struggle of the “Beldi” Dogs

• Morocco is home to 1.2–1.5 million stray dogs, though some estimates reach 3 million.

• In Tangier alone, around 30,000 “Beldi” dogs roam the streets.

• CNVR programmes are being introduced, but outdated practices like shooting and poisoning still occur.

Romania: A Legacy of Neglect

• Romania has an estimated 500,000–600,000 stray dogs.

• In Constanța, authorities recorded 8,000–10,000 stray dogs. In 2024 alone, 3,286 were killed in shelters.

• EU membership has encouraged sterilisation over mass killing, but shelter overcrowding remains a crisis.

Comparing National & City-Level Numbers

National Estimates (millions):

• India — 52.5M

• Mexico — 12.6M

• Turkey — 4M

• Pakistan — 3M

• Morocco — 1.35M

• United States — 1.5M

• Romania — 0.55M

City/Subnational Case Studies:

• Delhi (India) — 1M

• Karachi (Pakistan) — 200k

• Tangier (Morocco) — 30k

• Quito (Ecuador) — 150k

• Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil) — 100k

• Constanța (Romania) — 9k

• Yucatán (Mexico) — 50k (dogs + cats combined)

What the Crisis Reveals

The numbers tell a story of global inequality:

• In Western Europe, strict sterilisation and microchipping laws have nearly eliminated strays.

• In developing regions, lack of resources leads to cycles of uncontrolled breeding, public health risks, and cruel culling policies.

• War, displacement, and poverty create new stray populations in already fragile societies.

The Way Forward

The stray dog crisis cannot be solved by culling. Lasting solutions require:

• Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (CNVR) as the global standard

• Education campaigns to reduce abandonment

• Stronger animal welfare laws and enforcement

• International collaboration and funding for sterilisation programmes

• Recognition of community dogs as part of local life

Conclusion

From the streets of Delhi to the alleys of Tangier, from Karachi to Mexico City, stray dogs are part of the fabric of human society. Their suffering is not inevitable it is the result of policy choices, neglect, and misplaced priorities.

By working together, advocating for humane approaches, and sharing resources globally, we can reduce suffering and create a world where no dog is left behind.

Sources

• Reuters (2025) — India’s Supreme Court orders relocation of stray dogs

• Economic Times (2025) — 37 lakh dog bites in a year

• World Footprints (2024) — Mexico’s street dog problem

• Yucatán Magazine (2024) — 50,000 dogs and cats roam Yucatán

• Time (2024) — Turkey’s stray dog law

• Arab News (2025) — Pakistan’s stray dog crisis

• Courting the Law (2024) — Karachi’s 200,000 stray dogs

• AP News (2024) — Morocco’s stray dog numbers

• National Geographic (2023) — Meet the people helping Morocco’s stray dogs

• Wild at Heart Foundation (2024) — Stray dogs in Romania

• European Parliament (2025) — Stray dogs in Constanța

• Petscare (2024) — Stray dog statistics USA

• Dogster (2024) — Global dog population