New Delhi: In a sweeping directive aimed at curbing the growing menace of stray dog attacks, the Supreme Court on Monday ordered that all stray dogs in the Delhi-NCR region be shifted to shelters, warning that any individual or organisation obstructing the exercise will face the strictest action, including contempt of court.
The order, passed by a bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan, follows alarming reports of rising rabies-related deaths and serious injuries caused by stray dogs — incidents that have particularly affected children and the elderly.
“We are not doing this for us, it is for the public interest. No sentiments of any nature should be involved,” Justice Pardiwala said. Directing civic bodies to “pick up dogs from all localities and shift them to far-off places”, he added, “For the time being, forget the rules.”
The court also made it clear that it would not entertain petitions from dog lovers or animal welfare groups opposing the relocation. “All these animal activists — will they bring back those who have fallen prey to rabies? We need to make streets absolutely free of stray dogs,” the bench observed.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that a site in Delhi had been identified for relocating stray dogs but the plan was halted after animal rights activists obtained a stay order. He underscored, “We cannot sacrifice our children just because of a few dog lovers.”
Civic authorities in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurugram have been directed to:
• Immediately build dog shelters within eight days.
• Employ trained professionals for sterilisation and vaccination.
• Install CCTV cameras to ensure no dog escapes.
• Set up a helpline for reporting dog bite cases.
The court stressed that sterilised dogs should also be relocated and that “not a single stray dog should be released” once picked up.
The bench suggested that civic authorities could even form a dedicated force for the exercise. It also ordered the Delhi government to publish monthly reports on rabies vaccine availability, stock levels, and the number of patients treated.
Calling the situation “grim” and in need of “immediate steps”, the Supreme Court has made it clear that there will be zero tolerance for delays or violations.
