Move All Stray Dogs In Delhi To Dog Shelters: Supreme Court
On August 11, 2025, while hearing a suo motu case concerning the stray dog menace, the Supreme Court (SC) of India passed directions to the authorities in the NCT Delhi to move the stray dogs from all localities to dog shelters within 8 weeks. The directions were passed amid a rise in cases of dog bites, leading to rabies, in Delhi. The bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan passed the order. It warned that if any organization or individual obstructs the authorities in carrying out the directed order will face legal consequences. Justice Pardiwala said, “We are not doing this for us, it is for the public interest. So, no sentiments of any nature should be involved. Action should be taken at the earliest.” It observed in its order, “Infants and young children, not at any cost, should fall prey to rabies. The action should inspire confidence that they can move freely without fear of being bitten by stray dogs.” Further, he told amicus curiae Gaurav Agarwal, “Pick up dogs from all localities and shift them to shelters. For the time being, forget the rules.” The matter will be next heard by the top court bench after 6 weeks.
While the top court was dictating the order, it was informed about the possible intervention by animal lovers, animal rights activists, and organizations. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for NCT Delhi, pointed out that a site in Delhi had been identified for relocating stray dogs, but the same was stalled after an animal rights activist obtained a stay order. The bench said, “This is the time to act. All these animal activists and all these so-called [animal] lovers, will they be able to bring back all those children who have fallen prey to rabies? Will they put life back in those children? Let's take a practical view of the matter. When the situation demands, you have to act.” The two-judge bench of the SC also refused to entertain any intervention application of any animal rights activists and organizations.
The SC court also said, “NCT Delhi, MCD, NMDC shall at earlier start picking up stray dogs from all localities, from more particularly vulnerable localities and cities. How to do it is for the authorities to look into and if they have to create a force, do it at the earliest. However, this should be the first and foremost exercise to make all localities free of stray dogs. There should not be any compromise in undertaking any exercise…However, what is important, and without which the entire exercise would go futile, not a single stray dog should be released and if we know that this has happened, we will take stern action.” The top court also questioned the reason behind releasing sterilized dogs back to the same locality from which they were picked up, “Whether sterilized or not, society should be free from stray dogs. You should not find a single stray dog moving around in any locality of the city or in the outskirts. It's the first step. We have noticed one very absurd and unreasonable rule, if you pick up a stray dog from one part, you sterilise the dog and put him at the same place, that's absolutely absurd and doesn't make any sense at all. Why should that stray dog come back to the locality and for what?”
Noting that the availability of rabies vaccination is also a major concern, the bench said, “The authorities concerned, more particularly the government of NCT Delhi, are directed to put detailed information about the place where such vaccines are available, the stock of vaccines and the number of persons who report for treatment on a monthly basis.”
