The Supreme Court has directed authorities to round up stray dogs in Delhi NCR, citing rising bite incidents and public safety concerns. The court emphasised that the move aims to protect both people and the animals’ welfare.
New Delhi: On August 13, the Supreme Court on uploaded its order in the suo motu case on the stray dog menace in Delhi-NCR. The Court directed that stray dogs must be removed from all localities in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad and kept in shelters, with no release back onto the streets.
A Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said that the rising dog bite problem also affects citizens’ fundamental rights under Articles 19(1)(d) and 21.
ALSO READ: BREAKING: Supreme Court Shifts Stray Dogs Case to New Three-Judge Bench, Hearing Tomorrow
The Court noted that over 25,000 dog bite cases were reported in Delhi in 2024, and over 3,000 in January 2025 alone, and that past sterilisation rules did not control the issue for two decades.
“The burning issue that we have embarked upon is not driven by a momentary impulse…Now is not the time for any resistance or hesitation born of complacency. It is a time for decisive and collective action and to confront the realities of our society. If we fail to act with urgency, we risk allowing yet another two decades to slip into the ledger of neglect, leaving future generations to inherit the same problems and the same dangers.”
The Court gave special attention to people who face higher risk — visually impaired persons, young children, elderly persons and people who sleep on the streets or come from humble backgrounds.
“The visually impaired persons are at the highest risk of dog bites as their primary support, their canes, are seen as threats by the dogs. Young children are susceptible to dog bites due to which parents find it very difficult to allow their children to navigate on streets on their own. We have come across concerns of elderly persons being attacked by rambunctious dogs…More particularly, the situation is worse when it comes to persons who are forced to sleep on the streets.”
The Court urged citizens to adopt dogs but warned against empty “virtue signalling.”
“A virtual divide is being attempted to be created between ‘animal lovers’ and persons indifferent towards animals. But the heart of the problem remains unanswered, for all practical reasons. As a court, our heart pains equally for everyone. We condemn those who, beneath the cloak of “love and care” for the voiceless, pursue the warmth of self-congratulation. The directions given by us, as a court which functions for the welfare of the people, are both in the interest of humans as well as dogs. This is not personal.”
On humane treatment in shelters, the Court said:
“We are sympathetic to their lives as-well. Accordingly, we make it clear to all authorities concerned and the personnels deployed at such shelters / pounds, that at no stage should these dogs be subjected to any mistreatment, cruelty or deplorable standards of care. In lieu of this, we direct all the concerned authorities to ensure that there is no overcrowding at the dog shelters / pounds, and all measures shall be taken promptly for avoiding such a situation.”
On adoption, the Court clarified that authorities can assess feasibility but must follow rules.
“However, any such adoption must take place only after a careful consideration, and in terms of the Standard Protocol for Adoption of Community Animals dated 17.05.2022 issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India, and any other condition that the concerned authorities find necessary to impose for such adoption to ensure that the entire exercise envisaged by us, is not defeated.”
The Court repeated that adoption cannot mean the dog goes back on the road.
“At the cost of repetition, we make it clear, that no such adoption, if any, should result in the re-release of a stray dog back on to the streets. If we find even a single infraction of such kind, we will proceed to take the strictest of action against the official responsible as-well as the individual.”
Amid public debate, the Court also underlined the judiciary’s duty to act beyond popular pressure.
“The judiciary must not assume or take on the colouration of the prevailing popular sentiments of the time, for its role is not to echo the passions of the moment but to uphold the enduring principles of justice, conscience and equity.”
“As the sentinel on the qui vive, a guardian of rights, the judiciary bears the solemn responsibility to possess the courage and the strength to remind the people of truths that they may not like or prefer not to hear.”
The Bench noted it is conscious of genuine love and care for animals and encouraged people to participate:
“In light of the concerns of the interveners, we urge all to adopt and give dogs a shelter in their homes. However, we do not ascribe to the virtue signalling of all those who share love and concern for the animals.”
The Court again flagged a divide being created and said,
“But the heart of the problem remains unanswered, for all practical reasons.”
As part of enforcement, the Court ordered immediate rounding up of strays from all localities, especially vulnerable and outskirts areas, possibly through a dedicated force. All captured dogs must be sterilised, immunised and de-wormed. There is a complete bar on re-release into public spaces.
Shelters/pounds must be set up across NCR within eight weeks with initial capacity of at least 5,000 dogs, to be expanded over time, with personnel, CCTV, adequate food and medical care. No cruelty or overcrowding is allowed; vulnerable dogs should be housed separately.
Adoption can be permitted under the Animal Welfare Board’s 2022 protocol, but never with re-release. A helpline must start within one week to report dog bites; dogs involved must be caught within four hours.
Delhi must publish data on rabies vaccine availability, stock and monthly treatment numbers. Any obstruction by individuals or organisations will be contempt of court. The Delhi High Court matter on shelter construction (Parthima Devi v. MCD) stands transferred to the Supreme Court for monitoring.
Rising Dog Bite Incidents: Year-Wise Data from 2022 to 2025
Latest data on dog bite cases has been added to show the scale of the problem. As per Government of India data collected under the National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP) via the IDSP/IHIP system, India reported 37,17,336 dog bite cases in 2024.
Provisional 2025 data up to February 27, 2025 shows 4,29,664 cases. Official replies in Parliament also record suspected human rabies deaths of 21 (2022), 50 (2023) and 54 (2024).
For Delhi, there are two parallel datasets often cited. IDSP numbers show Delhi recorded 6,691 dog bite cases in 2022, 17,874 in 2023, 25,210 in 2024 and 3,196 in January 2025 alone, with zero human rabies deaths since 2022 according to the same source.
Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) hospital and ARV-centre data, which captures a larger set of treatment touchpoints, reported a higher total of 68,090 dog bite cases in 2024 and 26,334 cases in 2025 up to early August, indicating that hospital reporting can exceed IDSP surveillance tallies. Both series point to a sharp rise.
Across NCR cities, the picture is also serious. Noida recorded about 1.3 lakh dog bite cases in 2024, up 31% from roughly 1 lakh in 2023; about 85% were stray dog bites, and around 20,860 incidents were from pet dogs.
Local reporting also noted 73,754 street-dog bites in just seven months in a recent period. Haryana’s data filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court shows 2.14 lakh dog bite cases over 18 months between 2022 and 2023 across the state, including NCR districts like Faridabad (12,939) and others, highlighting pressure on bordering NCR areas as well.
Ghaziabad officials have publicly stated that approximately 3.07 lakh dog bite cases occurred from January 2022 to July 2025, showing sustained caseloads in the UP side of NCR, though city-level verification is still evolving.
Independent national round-ups by leading outlets also mirror the Centre’s numbers, widely citing about 3.7 million dog-bite cases across India in 2024, with states like Karnataka reporting 3.6 lakh bites and 42 rabies deaths that year, underlining regional hotspots requiring focused action.
In simple terms, the Court’s directions try to reduce bites by quickly removing strays from risky public spaces, ensuring proper care in shelters, and pushing real-time capture, vaccination and data transparency.
At the same time, the Court clearly says that dogs must not be mistreated, must not be overcrowded in shelters, and that adoption should be careful and rule-based — never sending an animal back to the streets.
With Delhi-NCR numbers rising each year and India crossing 3.7 million bite cases in 2024, the order aims to protect children, the elderly, the visually impaired, and people who sleep on the streets, while asking citizens to adopt responsibly and authorities to act fast and humanely.
Rabies: Rare, Deadly, But Preventable
Rabies is almost 100% fatal once symptoms appear, but completely preventable if treatment is administered promptly. The virus attacks the brain and nervous system, causing flu-like symptoms initially, followed by confusion, hallucinations, paralysis, and eventually death.
“Even one missed dose of the rabies vaccine can be the difference between life and death,”
warns Dr. Aggarwal.
Treatment depends on the bite category, using anti-rabies vaccines (ARV) and rabies immunoglobulin (RIG). For high-risk bites, especially on the face, head, or neck, RIG must be injected directly into and around the wound for maximum effectiveness, ideally within 7 days.
Essential Safety Tips
Whether or not the Supreme Court order is fully implemented, dog bites and rabies remain a serious risk. Experts recommend:
- Seek immediate medical care after any bite, even minor scratches.
- Wash wounds thoroughly with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes.
- Start the rabies vaccine schedule immediately and complete every dose.
- Ask about RIG for high-risk bites.
- Educate children on how to safely interact with dogs, avoid teasing, touching food, or approaching unknown dogs.
The Health Impact
India continues to bear one of the highest rabies burdens in the world. Experts argue that alongside legal and administrative measures, there’s a need for:
- Community-level dog vaccination drives
- Stronger public awareness campaigns
- Better access to post-bite treatment, especially rabies immunoglobulin
“Despite available vaccines, RIG is expensive and often hard to find,”
notes Dr. Neha Rastogi Panda, Consultant, Infectious Diseases, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram.
Case Title:
In Re: “City hounded by strays, kids pay the price”
Read Order:
Click Here to Read Our Reports on Stray Dogs
FOLLOW US ON YOUTUBE FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES
