Delhi Airport reacts after internet questions missing stray dogs Dholu, Kaddu

Delhi Airport has reacted to concerns over missing stray dogs Dholu and Kaddu at Delhi Airport, with activists and users questioning authorities and fuelling a debate on animal welfare.

In Short

• Stray dogs Dholu and Kaddu missing from Delhi Airport sparked social media uproar
• Delhi Airport claimed dogs are cared for, Dholu showed aggression and was returned
• Public doubts airport version, defends dogs as gentle and questions handling methods

Several users on social media have begun questioning the disappearance of stray dogs, identified as Dholu and Kaddu, at Delhi Airport, prompting a reaction from airport authorities and leading to a wider debate around animal welfare and transparency.

The conversation escalated after animal rights activist Priyanshi, called out the airport in a strongly worded post on X, directly challenging their claims about the dogs.

“No bites happened. And the brown dog (Dholu/brownie) is not back yet. They claim they have got to know kaddu is missing from social media. Really? Then why are your contractors captured on CCTV removing the dogs? God! @DelhiAirport authorities are more shameless than I thought!” she wrote in the caption of her post.

Read her post here:

Her post received a whole lot of attention online, with several users questioning the authorities and voicing similar concerns about the whereabouts of the dogs, as well as questioning the official narrative.

In response, Delhi Airport issued a detailed thread addressing the situation on their official X account.

The airport stated that several community dogs live across its terminals and are “regularly cared for and fed,” with teams following veterinary guidelines to ensure their health and balanced behaviour.

Addressing the specific case of the brown dog, they said it had “recently bitten two individuals and shown signs of aggression,” and was subsequently “carefully handled, calmed, and gently returned to its familiar area.”

They also acknowledged reports of another dog at Terminal 3 being missing since March 26, adding that they had come across the information via social media and “sincerely hope it is safe and around.”

Further, the airport urged passengers to avoid feeding or engaging with the dogs in ways that could provoke them, noting that rising dog bite incidents are a matter of concern and require collective responsibility.

Take a look at the thread here:

However, the response did very little to settle the discourse online.

Several users came forward defending the dogs, claiming they had personally interacted with them and never found them aggressive. Some shared their own experiences of regularly seeing and feeding the dogs at the airport, describing them as calm and familiar to frequent travellers.

Take a look at the posts here:

Others criticised the authorities more directly, questioning the mention of aggression and raising concerns about how the dogs were being handled or relocated.

As the conversation continued to unfold, the focus remained on two key questions: where exactly were Dholu and Kaddu, and whether the measures that were being taken were truly in the interest of both public safety and the well-being of the animals.

- Ends