On 11th August, the Supreme Court of India directed the authorities in Delhi to pick up all stray dogs, especially from vulnerable localities. The court passed the order while hearing a suo motu case on the rising number of dog bite cases and rabies fatalities caused by stray dog bites in the National Capital. The court warned that strict action will be taken against any and all organisations and individuals who obstruct the process. The order will extend to outskirts that is Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurugram.
Order: The aforesaid directions shall be complied with and implemented strictly.
— Bar and Bench (@barandbench) August 11, 2025
Any hindrances that may be caused in smooth and effective implementation of aforesaid directions would be viewed as contempt of this Court and we shall be proceed to take appropriate action. Notify…
‘Will they be able to bring back those who have fallen prey to rabies?’
A Bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan expressed alarm over recent reports, including a Times of India article, highlighting how elderly people and children remain the most affected by rabies. Justice Pardiwala emphasised that the matter was being pursued in the public interest and sentiments should not cloud decisive action. He directed, “Pick up dogs from all localities and shift them to far-off places.”
Order: We heard Mr. Gaurav Agarwal, learned Amicus and Tushar Mehta Learned Solicitor General. What we have been able to gather …the situation is grim. Immediate steps need to be taken.
— Bar and Bench (@barandbench) August 11, 2025
In the course of hearing, learned Amicus provided us with some information.
Mr. Mehta…
Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta thanked the Bench and stated that parents he had spoken to appreciated the court for taking action and stressed the need to safeguard children’s lives. He flagged grave concerns about the situation in several parts of Delhi and its outskirts and noted that previous relocation efforts were stalled due to a stay order obtained by a dog rights activist.
This prompted Justice Pardiwala to pointedly ask whether these activists could bring back those who had lost their lives to rabies.
Strict directives for shelters and dog-free localities
In its order, the Court directed the NCT of Delhi, MCD and NDMC to create dog shelters with adequate staff for sterilisation and vaccination. The court ordered the installation of CCTV cameras to ensure no dogs are released back onto the streets. Furthermore, the court told the authorities to begin picking up stray dogs immediately, giving priority to vulnerable localities, and to create a dedicated force if needed.
“The first and foremost exercise must be to make all localities free of stray dogs,” the order stated, adding that there must be no compromise in carrying out the exercise. It warned that individuals or organisations obstructing the rounding up of stray dogs would face legal action.
“Any hindrances that may be caused in smooth and effective implementation of aforesaid directions would be viewed as contempt of this Court and we shall be proceed to take appropriate action,” The court said.
OpIndia is doing a series on the stray dog menace in India which can be checked here.
