The Supreme Court Today (Aug 21) refused an urgent hearing on petitions challenging MCD’s order to catch stray dogs in Delhi. Earlier directions had asked for shelters, sterilisation, and strict measures to control rising dog bite cases.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to give an urgent hearing to a group of petitioners who had challenged the recent notification issued by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) regarding the catching of stray dogs in the national capital.
The matter came before Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi.
Advocate Nanita Sharma mentioned the case seeking urgent listing, but the Court made it clear that it would not pass any immediate direction in this regard.
The issue of stray dogs in Delhi has been in the spotlight over the past few weeks.
On August 8, a Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan had directed the municipal authorities in Delhi to start rounding up stray dogs from all localities, with priority being given to vulnerable areas.
The Bench further directed the authorities to establish proper shelters with a minimum capacity of at least 5,000 dogs within eight weeks.
In its detailed order, the Court also gave strict instructions. It said that the dogs once caught should not be released back on the streets.
The order made it compulsory to carry out sterilisation, immunisation and de-worming of dogs. It also required that shelters should have CCTV cameras, enough staff, food and full medical facilities for the animals.
The Court added another important direction by asking the authorities to create a helpline within one week for reporting dog bite incidents. It said that any dog responsible for a bite should be captured within four hours of the complaint. The authorities were also told to publish monthly data on rabies vaccination and treatment.
The order warned that any obstruction by animal activists to this exercise would be treated as contempt of court.
The Bench had passed the August 11 order while hearing a suo motu case.
The judges noted that the growing menace of dog bites was affecting the fundamental rights of citizens under Articles 19(1)(d) and 21 of the Constitution. The Court specifically recorded that more than 25,000 dog bite cases were reported in Delhi in 2024 and over 3,000 cases were already reported in January 2025 alone.
In sharp words, the Court criticised certain groups of animal lovers, saying that it was against:
“Virtue signalling by animal lovers that ignored the core problem.”
This order sparked widespread protests by animal rights activists across the country.
Later, the matter reached before Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai.
Lawyers pointed out that there were parallel proceedings before different benches of the Supreme Court on the issue of stray dogs, which could result in conflicting directions. The Chief Justice assured the parties that the Court would examine the issue carefully. He then directed that the case be placed before a new three-judge Bench.
Subsequently, a Bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria heard the matter and reserved its order on the challenges made against the August 11 decision. However, this Bench did not put any stay on the directions already given to the municipal authorities by the earlier Bench.
Because of this, new applications were filed in the Supreme Court asking for immediate intervention to stop the ongoing actions by the municipal authorities.
But on Thursday, the top court again refused to give an urgent hearing on the matter.
Last Hearing Aug 14: Supreme Court Reserves Verdict, No Stay For Now
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on petitions challenging its August 11 order to round up all stray dogs in the Delhi-NCR region.
A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria heard detailed arguments but did not grant any stay on the directions issued to municipal authorities.
Appearing for the Central government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said,
“In a democracy, there is one is vocal majority and one who silently suffers. We have seen videos of people eating chicken egg etc and then claiming to be animal lovers. It is an issue to be resolved. Children are dying…Sterilisation does not stop rabies…even if immunised…”
He further stated,
“WHO data shows 305 deaths a year. Most of children are under age group of 15. Nobody is a animal hater…Dogs do not have to be killed…they have to be separated. Parents cannot send children out to play. Young girls are mutilated.”
He added that there was no solution in the present rules, saying,
“Court has to intervene.. this is vocal minority view vs silent majority suffering view.”
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the NGO Project Kindness, requested a stay on the August 11 order, arguing,
“This is first time I hear SG saying that laws are in place but it need not be followed…Question is to who is to comply with it. Question is has the municipal corporation built shelter homes…have the dogs been sterilised? Money has been siphoned off. No shelters are there. Such orders are suo motu. No notice. Now dogs are picked up. You say once sterilised, do not leave them. This need to be argued in depth.”
Justice Nath then remarked,
“Show us the part of the order which is offending to you. We cannot spend the whole day on this.”
Sibal responded,
“Please see para 11(I) directing that all dogs be picked up, rounded up from NCR and put to dog shelters/pounds. These don’t exist. It has been directed to create the same in 8 weeks…after being sterilised, where will they go? All authorities directed to pick up dogs…this direction has to be stayed. What will happen? They will be culled…dogs are kept together…food is thrown and then they attack each other…This cannot be permitted.”
Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra pointed out that the August 11 order was already influencing other states and High Courts to take similar steps.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said,
“With the best of intentions, all directions put the cart before the horse. All directions presuppose issues…available infrastructure is less than fractional available to accommodate all the dogs. Directions 1, 3 and 4 need to be stayed. SG Mehta did preemptive prejudice. Dog bites exist…but see the parliamentary answers. There are zero Rabies deaths in Delhi… Of course bites are bad.. but you cannot create a horror situation like this.”
Senior Advocate Siddhartha Dave added,
“Nobody from NGOs etc were able to place any record. Take that material from us.”
Senior Advocates Aman Lekhi and Colin Gonsalves also opposed the order strongly.
On the other side, an advocate supporting the order argued,
“We have submitted medical reports of a person who is admitted in Breach Candy hospital…humans are suffering. For every 24 individuals, there is one stray dog. All those who are here must take culpability of attacks as and when they happen…”
Summing up the day’s exchanges, Justice Nath observed,
“Parliament frames rules and laws…but not implemented. On one hand, humans are suffering and on the other hand, the animal lovers are here. Have some responsibility…all those who have filed interventions have to file affidavits and furnish evidence. All of you.”
The August 11 order, passed by Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, had directed Delhi municipal bodies to capture stray dogs from all areas, prioritising vulnerable zones, and to set up shelters with a minimum capacity of 5,000 dogs in eight weeks.
It also banned the re-release of these dogs, made sterilisation, vaccination, and de-worming compulsory, and required shelters to have CCTV, staff, food, and medical care.
A 24×7 helpline was ordered to be set up to report dog bites, with the capture of offending dogs within four hours, and monthly rabies vaccination data to be published. Obstructing this work was to be treated as contempt of court.
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The order was issued suo motu after the Court noted that over 25,000 dog bite cases were reported in Delhi in 2024 and more than 3,000 in January 2025 alone.
The Court said sterilisation programs had failed over two decades and urgent action was necessary, especially for children, elderly people, visually impaired citizens, and those living on the streets. It warned against “virtue signalling” by animal lovers that ignored the actual danger.
The order triggered large protests from animal rights activists.
On August 14, the case came before Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, who noted possible overlapping stray dog matters before different benches and reassigned it to a new three-judge bench.
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ORIGINAL ORDER OF APEX COURT
The Supreme Court of India on Monday (Aug 11) gave strict orders to the Delhi Government, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to immediately start removing stray dogs from every locality of Delhi, starting with the most vulnerable areas and cities.
A Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan made it clear that no locality should have stray dogs roaming around and there should be absolutely no compromise in this work.
“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 earlier. 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,”
-the Bench said.
The judges also warned that anyone trying to stop or create problems in this work will face strict legal action from the court.
“If any individual or organization that comes in the way of picking stray dogs or rounding them up, we will proceed to take action against any such resistance,”
-the Court added.
Along with removal, the Court ordered the Delhi Government, MCD, and NDMC to create proper dog shelters with enough staff to sterilise and vaccinate the animals.
These shelters must also be monitored through CCTV cameras.
“The State of NCT Delhi, MCD and NDMC is directed to create dog shelters and report this Court creation of such infrastructure within 8 weeks. The dog shelters should have sufficient staff to sterilize and immunize. The dog shelter would be monitored by CCTV,”
-the order said.
The Bench also took a strong stand against certain animal rights activists, questioning their role when rabies cases are causing deaths.
“All these animal activists, will they be able bring back who have fallen prey to rabies,”
– the Bench demanded.
The judges further explained that this order is being passed purely for public safety and should be implemented without emotional or sentimental objections.
“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 earlier. Pick up dogs from all localities and shift them to far off places,”
-the Bench orally remarked.
The Supreme Court was hearing a suo motu case it had started on its own after repeated incidents of rabies infections and deaths caused by stray dog attacks.
Here are the top statements made by the Supreme Court while pronouncing the judgement:
- We need to pick up round up with whatever means to ensure dog free locality and that’s how children and aged will feel safe.
- Have you seen the classic good, bad and the ugly- when you want to shoot, shoot don’t talk. It’s not the time to talk but act. All these so-called animal lovers, will they be able to bring back those children who have given their lives?
- Municipal Corporation of Delhi is directed to make dog shelters and report about creation of infrastructure within eight weeks. It must have sufficient personnel for sterilised, dogs who would be detained there and not released in public places. It will be monitored by CCTV to monitor that no dogs are taken out.
- Infants and young children, not at any cost, should fall prey of rabies. The action should inspire confidence that they can move freely without fear of being bitten by stray dogs. No sentiments should be involved.
- Create helpline within 1 week so that all cases of dog bites and rabies are reported. Action should be taken within 4 hours to pick up dog after complaint is received and any action of individual or organisation coming in the way will be taken with stern action. The said dog will be sterilised and shall not be released.
CASE TITLE:
IN RE: CITY HOUNDED BY STRAYS, KIDS PAY PRICE
SMW(C) No. 5/2025
READ ORIGINAL ORDER WHICH CREATED HAVOC AROUND COUNTRY:
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