The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the Delhi government and the civic bodies of Gurugram, Noida, and Ghaziabad to remove all stray dogs from streets and place them in dedicated shelters, barring their return to public areas. Calling the rise in dog bite incidents “extremely grim,” the bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan warned that any obstruction to the process would invite strict legal action, including contempt proceedings. The court came down heavily on animal activists opposing the move, questioning whether they could restore the lives of children lost to rabies.
Under the court’s directives, new shelters must be set up to house at least 5,000 dogs within six to eight weeks, with provisions for sterilisation, vaccination, and proper care under CCTV surveillance to ensure no animals are released back to the streets. The court stressed that vulnerable and high-risk localities should be prioritised for dog removal, instructing authorities to even form a dedicated force for the task if required. This marks the latest development in the suo motu case initiated on July 28 after several rabies-related deaths in the national capital.
The bench emphasised that making Delhi-NCR free from stray dogs is the “first and foremost” priority in safeguarding public health. It noted that while the initial target is 5,000 dogs, the number of shelters should be increased over time as part of a “progressive exercise.” The move has sparked debate between public safety advocates and animal welfare groups, with the court making it clear that when human lives are at stake, decisive action must take precedence.
