The Supreme Court’s Stray Dog Removal Order: A Misstep in Addressing a Complex Issue
K Bahuguna
August 25, 2025
(Former Director-General and Chancellor in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change)
A massive backlash is in the offing on the Supreme Court of India’s sweeping directive issued on 11th August, 2025, ordering the removal of stray dogs from the streets of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) within eight weeks, mandating their relocation to shelters. The court’s decision, prompted by a suo motu case addressing the rising incidents of dog bites and rabies, particularly affecting children and the elderly, has sparked intense debate. While the court’s intention to protect public safety is undeniable, the order is a flawed and shortsighted approach that fails to address the root causes of the stray dog issue and risks exacerbating both human-animal conflict and animal suffering. This article analyses the Supreme Court’s decision and proposes humane, science-based solutions to tackle the problem effectively.
The Supreme Court’s directive, issued by Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan, mandates civic bodies in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and Faridabad to capture stray dogs, sterilize and immunize them, and house them in shelters equipped with CCTV surveillance and sufficient staff. The court emphasized that no stray dogs should be released back onto the streets, warning of strict action, including contempt proceedings, against anyone obstructing the process. The ruling was driven by alarming statistics: Delhi reports nearly 2,000 dog bite incidents daily, with 35,198 cases and 49 rabies cases recorded between January and June 2025. Nationally, India accounts for 36% of global rabies deaths, a crisis that demands urgent action.However, the court’s order to relocate an estimated 60,000 to one million stray dogs in NCR to shelters is logistically impractical and scientifically flawed. Animal welfare organizations, including PETA India and the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO), have criticized the decision as an “unscientific” and “inhumane” move that disregards decades of evidence-based practices. We must know that Dogs are part of human society as cow and other domestic animals valued for their scavenging, and ecological roles and man has spiritual relation with Dogs. In Mahabharata we all know that Yudhister refused to go to heaven if his loyal Dog is not allowed as god Indra denied the Dog entry to heaven.
The order overlooks the complexity of the stray dog issue, which is deeply intertwined with urban mismanagement, inadequate infrastructure, and insensitive societal attitudes. The decision is flawed because of logistical challenges of implementing the court’s directive as Delhi/NCR lacks the infrastructure to house tens of thousands of dogs in shelters within the stipulated six to eight weeks. Building shelters for even 5,000 dogs, as initially mandated, would require significant land, funding, and trained personnel—resources that are already stretched thin. Animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi highlighted the need for up to 2,000 shelter centres to accommodate Delhi’s stray dog population, a feat that is practically unfeasible in the given timeframe.Secondly, the order contradicts established scientific principles for stray dog population control. The Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, advocate for sterilizing and vaccinating stray dogs and returning them to their original territories. This approach stabilizes dog populations by reducing breeding and territorial conflicts while maintaining vaccinated, healthy dogs in familiar environments. Mass removal, as mandated by the court, creates a “vacuum effect,” where unsterilized and unvaccinated dogs move into vacated areas, potentially increasing rabies risks and dog bites. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) endorse mass sterilization and vaccination as the most effective strategy for rabies control, not blanket removal. The decision risks causing significant animal suffering and Dogs once born has the fundamental right to live. The problem is manmade as we have closed all avenues for their food and no check on their population makes them feral in some cases. Forced displacement disrupts the social structures of community dogs, leading to stress, starvation, and territorial fights. Shelters, if poorly managed, can become overcrowded and inhumane, failing to provide adequate care. The court’s emphasis on CCTV monitoring and staffing does little to address the reality of underfunded and negligent municipal bodies struggling to maintain existing infrastructure.Finally, the order dismisses the cultural and emotional bonds many communities share with stray dogs. In Delhi, an estimated 10 lakh community dogs are often cared for by residents who view them as part of their neighbourhood watch dogs for security. The forced removal of these dogs could spark social unrest, as evidenced by protests near India Gate on August 11, 2025, where police detained animal rights activists.
The stray dog issue is not solely about the dogs themselves but is rooted in utter negligence and poor monitoring by the civic authorities and misuse of funds by phoney dog lover NGO’s. Poor waste management in urban areas attracts stray dogs to garbage dumps, increasing their presence in public spaces. Inadequate implementation of sterilization and vaccination programs has allowed stray populations to grow unchecked. For instance, PETA India notes that less than half of Delhi’s stray dogs are sterilized, despite a sterilization mandate in place since 2001. Additionally, unregulated pet breeding and abandonment contribute to the stray population, as do people’s irrational attitudes that tolerate feeding strays in public spaces.Dog bites and rabies cases are further exacerbated by human behaviours. Feeding strays in public areas can lead to territorial aggression, while a lack of public awareness about coexisting with community dogs contributes to conflicts. The order sidesteps these underlying issues, opting for a knee jerk solution that fails to address the broader ecosystem
To effectively tackle the stray dog issue and reduce dog bites and rabies, a multi-pronged, strategy is essential; first of all scale Up Sterilization and Vaccination Program and initiateAnimal Birth Control programs, ensuring at least 80% of stray dogs are sterilized and vaccinated against rabies. This aligns with WHO and WOAH guidelines and has proven effective in cities like Chennai, where consistent with birth control and vaccination implementation has significantly reduced stray populations and rabies cases. The urban bodies must enforce strict waste disposal regulations to reduce open garbage, which attracts stray dogs. WE need to regulate Pet Breeding and Encourage Adoption of local Indian dogs as foreign Dog rearing is a fad indeed from colonial era. Educational programs can teach communities how to coexist with stray dogs, including safe feeding practices and recognizing signs of aggression. As ordered by court a 24 hour help line should be opened and Dog shelters should be reserved for sick, injured, or aggressive dogs unable to survive on the streets. Existing shelters must be upgraded with adequate funding, staffing, and veterinary care to ensure humane conditions, rather than serving as mass holding facilities. Engaging communities in caring for strays through organized feeding and monitoring programs can maintain social bonds while reducing conflicts. Local resident welfare associations can collaborate with NGOs to support sterilized and vaccinated community
The Supreme Court’s order to remove stray dogs from Delhi-NCR is a well-intentioned but misguided attempt to address a public health crisis. We need to focus on systemic solutions, rather than mass eviction as the directive risks creating chaos for both humans and animals. A humane, science-backed approach as discussed above on mass sterilization, vaccination, waste management, and public education—offers a sustainable path to reducing dog bites and rabies while respecting India’s cultural affinity for community dogs. The government, civic bodies, and citizens must work together to implement these solutions, ensuring that public safety and animal welfare go hand in hand.
(Tripurainfo)
more articles...