In a decisive intervention to address the escalating menace of stray dogs and rising incidents of rabies, the Supreme Court on Monday directed the immediate removal of all stray dogs from localities across Delhi and the National Capital Region. The bench described the situation as “extremely grim” and stressed that public safety must take precedence over all other considerations, reported NDTV.
A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan ordered the authorities to shift all stray dogs to designated shelters without returning them to their original areas, even if they have been sterilised. The judges said that the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, which require sterilised dogs to be released back into the same locality, should be set aside for now in light of the public health emergency. They also warned that anyone obstructing the exercise, including individuals or organisations, would face legal action.
The directive applies to the Delhi government, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the New Delhi Municipal Council, and civic bodies in Noida, Gurgaon and Ghaziabad. The court ordered that shelters be set up within six to eight weeks with capacity to house around 5,000 dogs. These facilities are to be equipped with personnel for sterilisation and immunisation, as well as CCTV monitoring to ensure that the dogs are not released back into the streets. The court has asked for a progress report when the matter comes up again in six weeks.
To ensure public safety in the interim, the court ordered the creation of a dedicated helpline within one week for reporting dog bite incidents. Upon receiving a complaint, authorities will have four hours to act, capture the stray dog involved, and ensure it is detained permanently in a shelter.
Justice Pardiwala observed that the safety of children must be guaranteed at all costs, adding, “Infants and young children, at any cost, should not fall prey to rabies. The action should inspire confidence that they can move freely without fear of being bitten.”
The bench also criticised the logic of releasing sterilised dogs back into the same areas, calling the relevant provision of the ABC Rules “absurd.” The judges questioned how such a policy could be justified given the growing safety risks, particularly in densely populated urban neighbourhoods.
The court’s intervention comes against a backdrop of rising dog bite incidents in Delhi and neighbouring cities, with health officials warning of a continuing threat of rabies. Reports suggest that the capital records thousands of bite cases each month, many of them involving children. Civic bodies have long faced criticism for failing to keep pace with sterilisation and vaccination drives, leading to uncontrolled population growth of stray dogs.
Earlier this year, a six-month initiative was undertaken to sterilise and immunise stray dogs in select constituencies, but the effort has been described by experts as inadequate given the scale of the problem. Public safety advocates have called for stronger measures, arguing that the failure to act decisively risks more injuries, fatalities, and wider public health consequences.
Reaction to the court’s ruling has been mixed. Supporters say it is a necessary and overdue step to prioritise human safety and hold civic bodies accountable. Opponents, including several animal welfare groups, argue that the blanket removal of stray dogs could lead to inhumane treatment and undermine years of work toward humane population control through sterilisation and vaccination. Some activists have called for the court to reconsider and adopt a phased, monitored approach that balances public safety with animal rights.
For now, the court’s order stands as one of the most sweeping directives on stray dog management in recent years. Its successful implementation will depend on how quickly authorities can create adequate shelter capacity, maintain humane conditions, and ensure that the measures reduce attacks and restore public confidence in the safety of Delhi-NCR’s streets.
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