Animal activist Ambika Shukla has drawn widespread criticism for remarks made during a protest against the Supreme Court’s recent order directing all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR to be relocated to shelters within eight weeks. Speaking at the demonstration, Shukla referred to rabies as a “mild and delicate virus” that could allegedly be neutralised by simply washing a bite wound with soap—a statement that medical professionals and the public have condemned as misleading.
'Rabies Is Rare': Ambika Shukla
Shukla, sister of BJP MP and animal rights advocate Maneka Gandhi, argued that rabies is often exaggerated and misunderstood. She claimed that bites from any warm-blooded animal—not just dogs—could potentially transmit the virus, but emphasised that rabies is rare and not easily spread. She further suggested that dogs typically bite only in self-defense and would not harm humans if treated kindly.
Defending her stance, Shukla highlighted the positive roles dogs play in society, including rescue operations, guiding the visually impaired, and crime prevention. She argued that dogs require love more than training and cautioned that mistreatment could provoke aggression.
Her remarks come in the wake of the Supreme Court’s August 11 directive, which mandates the capture and permanent sheltering of stray dogs in Delhi-NCR to address rising cases of dog bites and rabies-related deaths, particularly among children and the elderly. The court stressed that public safety must take precedence and warned of legal consequences for anyone obstructing the relocation process.
Medical experts and public health advocates have strongly criticised Shukla’s comments, noting that rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.