New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday heard multiple petitions challenging its August 11 order directing the removal of all stray dogs from residential areas in Delhi-NCR to shelter homes, a move that has sparked protests from animal rights groups and residents alike.
A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta, and Justice NV Anjaria questioned why authorities began picking up dogs even before the earlier order was made public. The judges also criticised civic bodies for failing to implement long-standing animal control guidelines, leading to the current crisis.
The controversial August 11 direction, passed by a different bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan, followed media reports highlighting a surge in dog bite cases in Delhi.
‘Children Are Dying’ vs ‘No Shelters to Keep Them’
Appearing for the Delhi government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta cited alarming statistics — 37 lakh dog bite cases last year — and argued that sterilisation alone does not prevent rabies. “Children are dying. Young girls are mutilated. Parents cannot send their children out to play,” he said, adding that while dogs need not be killed, they must be separated from public spaces for safety.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the animal welfare group Project Kindness, countered that the order was unworkable because there were no adequate shelter homes. “Where will they be taken? They will be kept together, food thrown, and they will attack each other. This is pestilence. This cannot be allowed,” he warned, seeking a stay on the August 11 order.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that the directions “put the cart before the horse” by assuming infrastructure exists to house all stray dogs. “Dog bites are bad, but you cannot create a horror situation like this,” he said, stressing that some “well-meaning” orders risk going beyond the law.
Court Slams Authorities
Justice Nath criticised civic bodies for inaction. “Parliament frames rules and laws, but they are not implemented. On one hand, humans are suffering, and on the other, animal lovers are here,” he said.
The bench reserved its order, leaving the future of Delhi’s strays — and the ongoing standoff between safety advocates and animal rights defenders — in limbo.
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