Stray dogs will be cleared from every street in Delhi and the wider NCR and moved into purpose-built shelters under a sweeping directive from the Supreme Court, issued in response to the rising toll of rabies deaths and dog-bite incidents.
The bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan, acting on its own after noting a news report, described the situation as “grim” and ordered civic authorities to act without delay. “Pick up dogs from all localities and shift them to shelters. For the time being, forget the rules,” Justice Pardiwala instructed amicus curiae Gaurav Agarwala.
The court said it would hear arguments only from the Union government, refusing to entertain petitions from animal rights groups. “We are not doing this for us, it is for the public interest. So, no sentiments of any nature should be involved,” Justice Pardiwala said, adding that adoption of stray dogs would not be permitted to prevent them being returned to the streets.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that land had been identified for relocation but progress was halted after activists obtained a stay order. “We cannot sacrifice our children just because of a few dog lovers,” he told the bench.
Also read: Stray dogs deserve dignity, not garbage: Delhi High Court
Authorities in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram have been told to construct shelters equipped with professionals to handle sterilisation, immunisation, and containment, with CCTV surveillance to prevent escapes. A dedicated helpline for reporting dog-bite cases must also be established. “Not a single stray dog should be released… if we know that this has happened, we will take stern action,” the court warned.
The order comes as official data from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi shows 49 rabies cases and more than 35,000 animal bites reported between January and June this year. India accounts for 36 per cent of global rabies deaths, according to the World Health Organisation.
The court further directed the Delhi government to publish details of rabies vaccine stocks, treatment locations, and monthly patient numbers, noting vaccine availability as a pressing concern.
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