Live Updates: Supreme Court Criticizes Local Authorities over Stray Dog Problem, Defers Decision on Stay Order
The Supreme Court of India has revised its August 11, 2025 order that mandated the permanent removal and confinement of stray dogs in Delhi-NCR to shelters. Instead, on August 22, 2025, a three-judge bench modified the directive, ruling that stray dogs should be captured, sterilised, vaccinated, dewormed, and then released back to their original localities, in accordance with the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023.
The modified order comes as a response to concerns raised by animal welfare groups about the inadequacy of shelter facilities and the importance of the ABC programme as the only humane and lawful approach.
Local Authorities' Responsibilities
The Supreme Court has directed all municipal bodies in Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, and Ghaziabad to comply with this modified order and provide affidavits detailing compliance efforts and resources devoted—such as dog pounds, veterinarians, and catchers. The Court emphasized balancing public safety and animal welfare within the legal framework and called for broad inclusion of states and union territories to develop a national policy.
Feeding stray dogs will be restricted to dedicated feeding areas, and violations will invite action. The Court also highlighted the importance of maintaining these feeding areas to prevent the spread of diseases.
Stray Dog Management
In accordance with the modified order, stray dogs will be captured and transported to facilities for treatment before being released back to their original areas, excluding rabid or aggressive dogs. These dogs will be kept in separate shelters and not released back.
The Court's ruling aims to protect public interest and should be carried out without any emotional bias. The judges questioned whether animal activists could bring back lives lost to rabies. They said the goal is to make streets completely free of stray dogs.
The issue has triggered significant backlash, with people taking to the streets and voicing their opinions on various platforms. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the government, stated that "nobody is an animal hater."
The Current Situation
Officials claim that while the state government does have hospitals, all the shelters are currently managed by NGOs. Between January and June, more than 65,000 stray dogs were sterilised and vaccinated in Delhi. However, many activists point out the failure to run a proper sterilisation programme in Delhi and argue for an effective sterilisation drive instead of removal campaigns.
The city of Delhi has recorded 26,000 dog bite cases so far this year. As of July 31, there have been 49 rabies cases in Delhi. Many activists argue that moving lakhs of dogs off the streets would not control the dog population, reduce rabies, or stop dog bites.
Looking Ahead
The local authorities remain responsible for controlling stray dog populations through capture, sterilisation, vaccination, and regulated release, aligning with this national directive. The Supreme Court has reserved its order on an interim plea seeking a stay on its earlier directive to remove stray dogs from Delhi-NCR. The Court will consider the modified order and the concerns raised by both animal activists and the government before making a final decision.
This reflects a judicial intent to balance public safety with humane treatment of stray dogs while imposing responsibilities on local authorities to implement the ABC programme and regulate stray dog management comprehensively.
- The altered policy-and-legislation regarding stray dogs in Delhi-NCR, as revised by the Supreme Court on August 22, 2025, involves capturing, sterilizing, vaccinating, deworming, and then releasing the dogs back to their original localities, in accordance with the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023.
- In response to the current health-and-wellness concerns about the inadequacy of shelter facilities and the importance of the ABC programme, the Supreme Court has emphasized the significance of local authorities complying with the modified order and providing affidavits detailing compliance efforts and resources devoted.
- As part of the general-news discussion, the Supreme Court's decision to balance public safety and animal welfare within the legal framework has sparked debate, with people expressing their opinions on various platforms, and the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stating that "nobody is an animal hater."
