India’s Supreme Court issued a significant ruling on the stray dog issue in Delhi-NCR, modifying its earlier order that required authorities to permanently move all strays to shelters. Providing relief to animal activists, the court directed authorities to sterilise and vaccinate stray dogs and then release them back into the same locality, unless the dogs display aggressive behaviour or rabies infection.
The three-judge bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria clarified that Animal Birth Control (ABC) rules will govern the process until a final national policy is framed. These rules emphasize humane population control through sterilisation, along with deworming and vaccination. Importantly, the court has stayed its earlier prohibition on releasing strays, stressing that only aggressive or rabid dogs should remain in shelters.
Another key highlight of the order is the ban on feeding stray dogs in public spaces. Instead, the court has mandated municipal authorities to create dedicated feeding zones within each ward, ensuring that feeding continues in a controlled and safe environment.
The ruling comes after strong protests from animal lovers, activists, and even political leaders. PETA India welcomed the verdict, saying “every dog has her day,” while former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi hailed it as a “scientific decision.” However, many residents, especially in Noida, remain concerned about safety, citing recent surges in dog bite cases.
India faces a massive stray dog challenge, with an estimated 52.5 million strays nationwide. In Delhi alone, the figure may touch 1 million. The Supreme Court’s move seeks to balance compassion with public health concerns, while also paving the way for a uniform national stray dog policy.
This order marks a shift towards humane, science-backed solutions, reaffirming that co-existence is possible with the right measures in place.