Clip from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport raises questions on hygiene, security—and compassion
In the viral video, a stray dog seen climbing onto a table in a passenger seating area near the Hyderabad airport food court, feeding on leftover food from abandoned trays. (Image credit: @hirawaheed93/X)
A viral video from Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport showing a stray dog eating leftover food from a table has sparked widespread debate online, with users divided over hygiene lapses, civic behaviour and treatment of stray animals.
The clip shows a stray dog entering a passenger seating area near the airport food court, climbing up and feeding on leftover food from trays left on a table.
Passengers seated nearby appeared largely unfazed as the animal continued eating, prompting questions over monitoring and cleanliness at one of the country’s busiest airports.
The incident quickly went viral, with many raising concerns about how a stray animal managed to access a high-security public facility in the first place.
Authorities call it ‘isolated’, promise action
Responding to the backlash, airport authorities termed the incident an isolated case and said enhanced measures are in place.
They told NDTV that waste management protocols have been strengthened, including mandatory disposal in covered bins, and that teams are working with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) on stray animal control.
Officials said at least 21 stray dogs have been “addressed” within the airport premises since January 2026 as part of ongoing drives.
The incident has also reignited discussions around hygiene standards and waste handling practices in public transit hubs.
Social media reactions: hygiene vs compassion
Online reactions ranged from criticism of Hyderabad airport management to calls for empathy towards stray animals, with several users sharing detailed views on X.
Some users pushed back against the outrage, noting the incident may not have occurred in a restricted lounge area and could reflect a food court space outside main checkpoints.
“That’s not a VIP lounge. It’s a food court outside the airport gate,” said an X user. “Tell me you haven’t been to VIP lounge… He’s literally outside even the glassed area,” added another.
A few X users pointed to systemic issues around stray animal welfare. Others stressed that the fault lay with infrastructure and staff rather than the animal.
“This needs to be checked. It’s absolutely not the dog’s fault, staff must’ve made sure about the boundary. And, by the way it is eating, shows its hunger. Humans go to any extent when there’s hunger, and so do dogs,” commented an X user. Another added, “I hope they didn’t k1ll it. Poor thing is just taking the opportunity to eat something , not meaning any harm. I hope the person who took this picture had the sense to take the dog out and feed it something.”
Several users turned the focus to public hygiene and behaviour.
“If trash is left openly on tables, of course a stray dog will investigate it,” said an X user. “The real hygiene issue starts with people leaving the mess… Dog probably just exposed it.”
There were also calls for accountability from authorities.
“If you have integrity, question the authorities why they didn’t act when they were warned… They could have prevented this,” another user commented.