In Brief
The Supreme Court upheld directions removing stray dogs from schools, hospitals, bus stations, and similar institutional spaces and prohibiting their re-release there. The Court rejected animal welfare groups' arguments that the Animal Birth Control Rules mandate re-release to original capture locations, holding that sensitive institutional premises fall outside the Rules' scope. Using Article 21 (right to life), the Court balanced human safety against animal welfare, finding that children, patients, and the public cannot be exposed to preventable dog-bite hazards in secure institutional environments. The judgment criticizes decades of inadequate implementation of India's sterilization framework and orders States to establish ABC centers in every district by August 2026, with High Courts monitoring compliance through suo moto petitions.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.