Dog bites child on face in Vijayawada

A nine-year-old boy suffered serious injuries after a street dog bit him on his face at Vagu Centre in One Town in Vijayawada on Tuesday (February 24). The boy had accidentally fell on the dog after loosing balance on his bicycle, CCTV camera footage showed.

According to sources, the child, Rachakonda Rishi, had gone out to play after returning from school around 4.15 p.m. Later that evening, he was seen walking back home with his face and shirt covered in blood and was rushed to new Government General Hospital (GGH).

Doctors reportedly told his mother that he needed to be under observation for two more days. “He is conscious, but he is not talking much,” she said.

Dog attacks in the area

Some residents said a handful of dog attacks occurred in the area recently. Bottu Nagalakshmi, another resident, said her sister’s children, both aged 9, were bitten by dogs last month and were taken to a government hospital for treatment.

A similar incident was reported at Siddhartha Nagar on Wednesday evening. A nine-year-old boy was chased by a pack of eight dogs when he was coming out of his school. Little Brains School Principal Phani Prasad, who witnessed the incident, said the boy fell down and injured his mouth.

After the Supreme Court orders in November 2025, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) have set up 286 dog feeding zones across the city and urged residents to not feed dogs outside their houses.

The corporation has also increased the number of dog-catching vehicles from one to six, and the number of kennels, where dogs are kept under observation for up to a week after the sterilisation process, from 120 to 320.

“This has led to a slight increase in the number of dogs getting sterilised. Until 2024, 20-30 dogs used to be sterilised daily. These days, however, the number has risen to 40-50,” said B. Somasekhar Reddy, Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Vijayawada Municipal Corporation.

According to Mr. Somasekhar Reddy, the dog that attacked the boy was recently sterilised and vaccinated. After the incident, the municipal authorities picked up other dogs in the area for sterilisation and vaccination.

According to sources, there are around 35,000-40,000 dogs in the city, out of which 18,000 have been sterilised.

In the recent budget meeting, the corporation proposed a budget estimate of ₹5 crore for the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme and establishment of dog shelters.

However, Pisupati Ravi Keerthi, founder of the Vijayawada-based Sanghamitra Animal Foundation, said shifting dogs to a shelter was cruel as the animals can contract infections and ticks from these shelters.

“Moreover, after sterilisation, the officials release dogs in other areas, which again lead to territorial wars and become a nuisance for the public. The VMC should focus on humane approaches, including continuous sterilisation and vaccination,” he said.