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SC has set a deadline directing authorities in Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, and Ghaziabad to pick up all stray dogs from the streets and move them to shelters. The order comes amid concerns over increasing dog attacks, particularly on children, and aims to ensure public safety while adhering to humane treatment guidelines.
Key Highlights of the Verdict
Deadline: Authorities must start immediately and submit a report within 8 weeks.
Scope: Covers Delhi NCR - particularly vulnerable localities, city outskirts, and other high-risk areas.
Shelter Creation: Government agencies must build shelters for 5,000–6,000 dogs in the next two months (8 weeks)
Govt Accountability: If govt agencies lack shelters, infrastructure must be built urgently.
Strict Warning: Any person or organization obstructing the process will face legal action.
No Release Policy: Picked-up dogs are not to be released back to public areas after sterilization.
Legal Background
Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023: Mandates sterilisation and immunisation of stray dogs, with release at the same place where they were captured but SC order overrides this for NCR, prioritising removal to shelters.
Previous HC Rulings:
Kerala HC (2011): Local bodies must follow PCA Act, 1960, and ABC Rules.
Bombay, HP, Karnataka HCs: Local authorities not bound to release strays, giving them discretion in local rules.
2015 SC Division Bench: Directed all municipal bodies to comply with PCA Act and ABC Rules.
2022 SC Bench: Recognised that street dogs have a right to food and shelter, but protection of citizens is also paramount.
Current Situation in Delhi
Population: Estimated 8 lakh stray dogs.
Shelter Gap: Govt lacks its own shelters; NGOs run limited facilities.
Sterilisation Centres: MCD running sterilisation and immunisation, but dogs currently released after treatment.
Implementation Hurdles: Legal and logistical obstacles being reviewed by the Delhi govt.
Dog Bites & Rabies in India
Dog Bite Cases:
2022: 37 lakh+ cases (up from 30.5 lakh in 2023).
Feb 2025: 54 deaths from rabies; 23 deaths in 2023; 21 in 2022.
Rabies Data:
96% of rabies cases caused by dog bites.
36% of rabies deaths in India are children under 15.
If Dog is Rabid: It can infect via bite, saliva contact with wounds, or mucous membranes — affects the central nervous system and is almost always fatal if untreated.
Global Practices in Stray Dog Management
Bhutan: 100% sterilisation achieved under National Dog Population Management & Rabies Control Programme.
Netherlands: Became stray-dog free through:
Heavy tax on pet store dog purchases (encouraged adoption).
CNVR Programme — Collect, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return.
Pet-police force with fines/jail for animal abuse & neglect.
Other Countries: Use microchipping, national registration, strict pet laws, and heavy public awareness.
Role of Pet Owners in Stray Dog Crisis
Scale of Problem: Over 60 million stray dogs in India; someone bitten every 10 seconds; ~5,000 deaths annually from rabies.
Pet Population Growth: Pet dog population projected to double to 60 million by 2030; India’s pet dog market growing at 10–15% annually.
Environmental Impact: Over 15,000 tonnes of dog waste produced annually; poses public health risks.
Weak Enforcement: No national law mandating dog registration, sterilisation, or vaccination; local rules rarely enforced.
Abandonment: Irresponsible owners abandon pets or allow them to breed with strays, worsening the crisis.
Petting Without Owning: Feeding stray dogs without responsibility can increase aggression and territorial behaviour, aggravating conflict.
Policy Suggestions:
ABC for high-breeding pedigree pets.
Incentives for sterilisation.
Steep breeding tax.
Penal action for abandoned pets and proxy feeding without care.