PETA India has slammed the Supreme Court’s directive to remove all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR, calling the mass displacement “unscientific” and ineffective. The NGO insists that sterilisation, not sheltering, is the humane and lasting solution.
New Delhi: On August 11, the Supreme Court of India has issued strict directions to remove all stray dogs from Delhi and the surrounding NCR areas, sparking a major debate between the government, civic bodies, and animal rights groups.
On Monday, the apex court ordered that all stray dogs must be caught within eight weeks and moved to dog shelters to be set up by the municipal authorities. It also made it clear that these animals must not be released back onto the streets.
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The order came from a bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, who emphasised that the action is in the public interest.
The court 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.” Justice Pardiwala further directed, “Pick up dogs from all localities and shift them to shelters. For the time being, forget the rules.”
The bench also warned that it will not tolerate any resistance to this drive. It ordered contempt proceedings against any person or group who obstructs the authorities.
Justice Pardiwala stated,
“If any individual or organisation comes in the way of picking stray dogs or rounding them up, we will proceed to take action against any such resistance.”
Under these directions, the Delhi government must immediately start creating shelters for at least 5,000 dogs as the first step.
These shelters must have enough staff to sterilise and vaccinate the animals, be equipped with CCTV monitoring to ensure no release back into the streets, and be capable of expanding their capacity in the future.
However, the Supreme Court’s sweeping order has faced sharp criticism from animal rights organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India. The group called the large-scale removal and “jailing” of stray dogs both unscientific and ineffective.
PETA India’s Senior Director of Veterinary Affairs, Dr Mini Aravindan, said,
“Communities think of neighbourhood dogs as family, and the displacement and jailing of dogs is not scientific and has never worked. Per a population survey conducted in 2022-23, Delhi has around 10 lakh community dogs, with less than half sterilised. Forced removal of some 10 lakh community dogs from Delhi’s streets will cause uproar in communities that care deeply for them and chaos and suffering for the dogs on a large scale. It will also ultimately do nothing to curb the dog population, reduce rabies or prevent dog bite incidents. This is because it is unfeasible to build enough dog shelters, and displacing dogs causes fights over territory and problems like starvation.”
She further explained that removing dogs is not a permanent solution, saying,
“Ultimately, dogs make their way back into the same territories, especially when puppies continue to be born. That’s why, the government has required that community dogs be sterilised since 2001—a procedure which calms them—and during which time they are also vaccinated against rabies.”
Dr Aravindan stressed that the real solution is a strong sterilisation and vaccination programme. She added,
“Had the Delhi government implemented an effective dog sterilisation program, there would hardly be any dogs on the road today, but it would not be too late to start implementing an effective sterilisation program now. Instead of wasting time, effort, and public resources on ineffective and inhumane displacement drives, an effective sterilisation program is still the solution and urgent need. Other important efforts would include a closure of illegal pet shops and breeders that contribute to animal abandonment, and encouraging the public to take in a dog in need from an animal shelter or the street.”
The court, while acknowledging the serious nature of recent dog bite incidents, stood firm on its decision. The bench told the amicus curiae Gaurav Agarwala to focus on practical solutions, but also made it clear that immediate removal is the priority, saying, “For the time being, forget the rules.”
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With the Supreme Court’s binding order now in place, the Delhi government, along with civic authorities in Gurugram, Noida, and Ghaziabad, will have to act quickly to build and staff shelters, while animal rights activists continue to push for sterilisation as the only humane and lasting method to address the city’s stray dog population crisis.
CASE TITLE:
IN RE: CITY HOUNDED BY STRAYS, KIDS PAY PRICE
SMW(C) No. 5/2025
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