Activists call SC order on stray dogs ‘inhuman’, ‘impractical’

On the outskirts of Noida, rows of lean, patchy-coated dogs hunch over steel bowls, lapping water under the midday sun. More strays gather in a narrow yard beneath a green tin shed, where large containers hold their food. This is where animal caregiver Vidit Sharma spends most mornings, tending to more than 3,000 stray dogs across the city as part of a community-run project.

Sharma calls the Supreme Court’s latest order — directing the removal of all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR streets within eight weeks and their permanent housing in shelters — “inhuman” and “impractical.”

“Keeping a healthy dog in a confined space is not viable... Who will take care of the medical expenses if the dog dies in the shelter home?” he asked. He believes mass sterilisation could halve the stray population in two years.

He argued that dog-bite issues should be addressed on a case-by-case basis, through vaccination, adoption, awareness and feeding, rather than penalising the entire stray population.

The Supreme Court’s order, issued on Monday, prioritises public safety over “sentiments of any nature” and departs from India’s Animal Birth Control (ABC) policy, which focuses on sterilisation, vaccination and returning dogs to their original territories.

“We are not doing this for us, it is for the public interest,” Justice J.B. Pardiwala, part of the two-judge bench, said. “Infants and young children, at any cost, should not fall prey to rabies.”

Atul Goyal, president of the United RWA’s Joint Action (URJA), a network of 3,000 resident welfare associations in Delhi, said residents largely welcomed the order but questioned whether the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) could implement it effectively.

Vinita Kumar, a law graduate from Mayur Vihar, said the order ignored on-ground realities. “Not a single litter can be seen here for the last 10 years. I have sterilised them all... This judgment seems just single-sided," she said, warning it would lead to “mass killing” as Delhi has no dedicated shelters and only 20 sterilisation centres.

ABC rules, updated in 2023, make sterilisation and vaccination a municipal responsibility, but activists say poor enforcement and funding failures have persisted since 2001.

The MCD said it has constituted a sub-committee to identify suitable locations for dog shelter centres in collaboration with NGOs, and plans to establish a centre in every zone.

Mayor Sardar Raja Iqbal Singh said, “We respect the Supreme Court’s decision and will ensure public safety while providing safe, clean and humane shelter facilities. This is a golden opportunity for animal lovers to contribute.”

He added that shelters would protect animals from harsh weather, and the MCD would work with the Delhi Government to implement the plan.