New Delhi, Sept. 2 -- That young children and the vulnerable need to be protected from dog attacks and bites is irrefutable. That the population of street dogs in urban India has gone up significantly is undeniable. But, equally, the need to find a systemic management solution for cross species coexistence is unquestionable.

Hysteria around the 'menace' of street dogs has been stoked, to a large extent, by India's news media and magnified by social media. No doubt, it is the media's role to make people aware of risks to their security, based on evidence, and to 'sensitize' them on how best to manage such risks.

However, it is also the media's responsibility to cover the issue in a balanced, nuanced and defensible manner that recognizes ...