Janata Dal (Secular) leader and Karnataka MLC SL Bhojegowda has claimed that he oversaw the killing of 2,800 stray dogs during his tenure as head of the Chikmagalur civic body, saying it was necessary to safeguard children.
“We also have concern for animals, but animal lovers are another menace,” Bhojegowda said in the Legislative Council, as reported by NDTV. “But you see the suffering of young children. You read about this daily in the papers and TV. It is happening every day.”
Recounting the incident, he said, “We had mixed something with meat and fed about 2,800 dogs and buried them under coconut trees… let’s go to jail also if needed for the safety of our kids.”
According to a report by Kannada Prabha, Bhojegowda further stated that the dogs were buried in coconut gardens and coffee estates after being fed poisoned meat.
🚨Unbelievable!#Karnataka’s JDS MLC SL Bhojegowda openly boasts that he got 2,500 stray dogs killed during his tenure as head of the Chikkamagaluru Municipal Council…claims he “buried the dogs under trees to serve as natural compost”
Shocking. Disturbing. pic.twitter.com/1YMytxmAYO
— Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) August 13, 2025
‘Stray Dog Menace Hits the Poor Hardest’: MLC Bhojegowda
Bhojegowda argued that stray dog attacks disproportionately affect children from poor families, unlike those of “judges, ministers and legislators, who travel by cars and other vehicles”.
His remarks come amid heightened debate following the Supreme Court’s recent order directing the removal of all stray dogs from Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) and their relocation to shelters within eight weeks.
Supreme Court Order Sparks National Debate
On Monday, a bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, acting on a suo motu petition concerning the “alarming and disturbing” rise in dog attacks, ordered that all strays be rounded up from every locality, including those on the outskirts of Delhi.
The court said the animals should be shifted elsewhere, “whether sterilised or not sterilised,” so that society could “feel free and safe”. Authorities in Delhi-NCR were also directed to set up a helpline to register dog bite complaints and ensure that the offending animal is picked up within four hours of a report.
The directive has drawn strong criticism from animal welfare groups, who have warned of severe consequences, including dismantling existing community protection against rabies.
Recent Dog Bite Incidents in Karnataka Fuel Tensions
The matter gained traction in Karnataka following several recent attacks. Two MSc students from Bengaluru’s Ambedkar School of Economics University were hospitalised after being bitten by stray dogs. Last month, a 70-year-old man in Kodigehalli died after allegedly being mauled outside his home.
In another case, CCTV footage from Old Hubballi showed a three-year-old girl being dragged and bitten by a group of dogs. She sustained serious injuries to her shoulder, back, legs and arms and was admitted to KIMS Hospital, Hindustan Times reported.
Karnataka Lokayukta Justice BS Patil recently criticised the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for failing to establish observation homes for aggressive dogs despite previous directions.
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