The Supreme Court will hear a suo motu case concerning stray dogs in the Delhi-NCR region on October 27. The bench aims to address issues related to sterilization, deworming, dog shelters, and public health risks like rabies.
The Supreme Court is set to hear a suo motu case concerning stray dogs on October 27.
Earlier, On August 22, the court broadened the scope of this case beyond the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) and mandated that all states and Union Territories participate.
According to the cause list for October 27 posted on the Supreme Court’s website, the case will be addressed by a three-judge special bench, which includes Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria. In addition to the suo motu case, four separate petitions related to the issue are also scheduled for discussion.
In its order from August 22, the court revised its earlier directive that prohibited the release of vaccinated stray dogs from pounds in Delhi-NCR, labeling it as “too harsh.”
The court ordered that the dogs be released following sterilization and deworming. During this ruling, the bench indicated that all similar cases pending in high courts nationwide would be consolidated in the Supreme Court for a “final national policy or decision” on the matter.
The bench also directed municipal authorities to adhere to the August 11 orders, which instructed the collection of stray dogs from all areas in Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Faridabad, and Gurugram, as well as the immediate establishment of dog shelters or pounds. It was decided that the August 11 directive prohibiting the release of captured stray dogs would be temporarily suspended.
The three-judge bench stated,
“The dogs that are picked up shall be sterilised, dewormed, vaccinated, and released back to the same area from which they were picked up,”
They clarified that relocation would not apply to dogs infected with rabies, suspected of being infected, or those showing aggressive behavior.
The municipal authorities were instructed to submit an affidavit detailing compliance, including comprehensive statistics regarding resources such as dog pounds, veterinarians, dog-catching personnel, and specially modified vehicles and cages available as of the date for adherence to the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules. The bench emphasized that the application of the ABC Rules must be consistent across India.
A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court had earlier issued several directives on August 11, ordering the authorities in Delhi-NCR to promptly begin the collection of stray dogs from all localities and relocate them to dog shelters.
This action was initiated in response to a media report from July 28 about stray dog bites resulting in rabies, particularly affecting children in the national capital.
Following the August 11 order, widespread protests erupted across the country, leading to the matter being brought before a three-judge special bench for further consideration.
Earlier order of August 11, passed by a Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, had created huge controversy. That order had directed that all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR must be caught and sent to shelters within eight weeks.
The Court at that time had taken serious note of the rising number of dog bite cases and rabies-related deaths. In fact, official figures from 2024 showed at least 37 lakh dog bite cases and 54 suspected deaths due to rabies.
The apex court, On Aug 22, changed its earlier order of August 11 that had directed authorities to round up all stray dogs in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) and to keep them permanently in shelters without release.
A three-judge Bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria ruled that stray dogs should be sent back to their original locations after proper medical care.
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