Data · Updated 2026-08-27
India Pet & Veterinary Statistics
The numbers behind India's pets and the vets who care for them — compiled from Government of India open data and refreshed automatically every month. Free to cite with attribution.
Quick answers
Direct answers to the most-searched questions, from the official data on this page.
How many dog bite cases are reported in India every year?
India reported 27.6 lakh (27,59,758) dog bite cases in 2023 — about 7,561 every day, or one every 11 seconds. Cases had declined from 75.7 lakh in 2018 before rising again in 2023.
How many veterinarians are there in India?
India had 81,938 registered veterinary practitioners as on 31 March 2023 — roughly one vet for every 6,539 livestock animals, before counting pets.
How many stray dogs are there in India?
The 20th Livestock Census (2019) counted about 1.53 crore (15.3 million) stray dogs in India. The 21st census count is awaited.
Which state reports the most dog bites?
Maharashtra reported the most dog bite cases in 2023 (4,35,136), followed by Tamil Nadu (4,04,488).
How many veterinary hospitals are there in India?
India had 67,889 public veterinary facilities as on 31 March 2024 — hospitals and polyclinics, dispensaries, and aid centres combined. 25% of sanctioned government vet-doctor posts were vacant in 2023.
How big is India's pet care market?
India's pet care market is estimated at $8.6 billion in 2025, with about 70% of Indian pet parents being first-time owners.
Dog bite cases in India
Reported cases fell through the pandemic years, then climbed back — 2023 recorded over 27 lakh cases nationwide, roughly one every 11 seconds.
Reported dog bite cases per year (national)
Source: State/UT-wise Number of Dog Bite Cases in India from 2018 to 2023 (data.gov.in)
States with the most reported cases, 2023
Source: State/UT-wise Number of Dog Bite Cases in India from 2018 to 2023 (data.gov.in)
India's veterinary capacity
India has 81,938 registered veterinary practitioners and 67,889 public veterinary facilities — and a quarter of sanctioned government vet posts are unfilled. Distance to care is a real barrier, which is exactly the gap online consultation closes.
Registered veterinary practitioners by state (top 10, 2023)
Source: State/UT-wise Number of Registered Veterinary Practitioners as on 31-03-2023 (data.gov.in)
Vacant government vet-doctor posts (%, states with 500+ sanctioned posts)
Source: State/UT-wise Sanctioned and Vacant Posts of Veterinary Doctors as on 31-01-2023 (data.gov.in)
India's animal & pet population
The 20th Livestock Census (2019) counted 535.8 million livestock. Pets are counted separately — and India's pet population is growing faster than its veterinary capacity.
Livestock population by species, millions (2019 census)
Source: Species-wise Livestock Population, 20th Livestock Census (2019) (data.gov.in)
Full state-by-state table (all 37 states/UTs)
| State/UT | Dog bites 2023 | Registered vets | Vet facilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 484 | — | 72 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 1,89,539 | 5,324 | 3,472 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 3,757 | 232 | 510 |
| Assam | 83,176 | 3,154 | 1,219 |
| Bihar | 2,19,086 | 3,464 | 2,730 |
| Chandigarh | 10,621 | 13 | 14 |
| Chhatisgarh | 26,286 | — | — |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli | 5,113 | 4 | — |
| Daman and Diu | — | 1 | — |
| Delhi | 16,133 | 466 | 77 |
| Goa | 10,767 | 222 | 77 |
| Gujarat | 2,41,846 | 4,447 | 2,064 |
| Haryana | 38,529 | 2,372 | 2,956 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 19,160 | 1,402 | 3,456 |
| Jammu And Kashmir | 31,314 | — | — |
| Jharkhand | 27,340 | 927 | 892 |
| Karnataka | 2,08,656 | 4,786 | 4,254 |
| Kerala | 63,458 | 5,172 | 1,164 |
| Ladakh | 2,316 | — | 140 |
| Lakshadweep | 0 | 34 | 9 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 1,02,275 | 3,039 | 2,711 |
| Maharashtra | 4,35,136 | 10,570 | 4,856 |
| Manipur | 2,511 | 561 | 233 |
| Meghalaya | 8,374 | 433 | 251 |
| Mizoram | 1,035 | 351 | 147 |
| Nagaland | 569 | 350 | 168 |
| Odisha | 80,768 | — | 4,094 |
| Puducherry | 12,239 | 535 | 124 |
| Punjab | 17,414 | 4,285 | 2,900 |
| Rajasthan | 91,864 | 4,853 | 10,335 |
| Sikkim | 6,069 | 199 | 146 |
| Tamil Nadu | 4,04,488 | 6,245 | 3,869 |
| Telangana | 1,08,910 | — | 2,117 |
| Tripura | 5,705 | 451 | 543 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 2,18,379 | 6,907 | 5,050 |
| Uttarakhand | 23,536 | 1,156 | 1,120 |
| West Bengal | 42,905 | 2,661 | 3,338 |
State name mismatches across the three government tables show as “—”. Full source tables are on data.gov.in.
Cite this page
Journalists, researchers and bloggers are welcome to use these figures with attribution:
Source: Vetezy — India Pet & Veterinary Statistics (https://vetezy.com/pet-statistics)
Methodology: government figures are fetched from the official data.gov.in APIs and refreshed monthly; state totals are summed from state-level rows, excluding “Total” rows. Industry figures carry their own citation. Government data is used under the Government Open Data License – India. Need a vet's comment on any of these numbers? contact@vetezy.com.
One vet for every 6,539 animals — but yours is a video call away
Consult a registered veterinarian online, from anywhere in India.