As many as 2,823 dog-bite cases were reported in East Khasi Hills from January to August 2026, with around 80% involving pet dogs, while the remaining cases were attributed to stray dogs, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Ferdinand Banteilang Basan, MCS, said.
Basan shared the figures while speaking to reporters during the launch of the Action Plan for Elimination of Dog-Mediated Rabies, a pilot project being launched in the Laban area. The programme was officially launched at the office of the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner in Shillong.
He thanked the Dorbar Shnongs in the Laban area for coming forward and supporting the programme, which aims to vaccinate dogs against rabies. On Tuesday morning, seven stray dogs were vaccinated in Laban as part of the initiative.
The ADC also urged Dorbar Shnongs to maintain records of pet dogs, ensure their registration and vaccination, and vaccinate both pet and stray dogs. Dog owners, he said, must take responsibility for properly keeping their pets.
Dorbar Shnongs have also been empowered to lodge complaints and impose fines in cases where individuals violate the prescribed rules.
East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Abhilash Baranwal, officials from the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department, police personnel and local shnong leaders from the Laban area were also present at the programme.
