Ex-minister, residents hold rally thanking SC’s stray dog order

Former Union Minister Vijay Goel, who has been spearheading a two-year-long campaign against stray dog attacks, on Wednesday joined hands with resident welfare associations (RWAs) of Delhi to organise a ‘Thanksgiving Rally’ in support of the Supreme Court’s recent order on removing stray dogs from public spaces.

Hundreds of RWA representatives gathered at Mandi House Chowk, carrying placards with messages such as “Dogs off the streets, citizens safe – A historic Supreme Court decision”. They described the verdict as a milestone for both public safety and animal welfare, noting that stray dogs currently living in poor conditions would be moved to shelter homes where they could receive care.

Targeting “so-called dog lovers”, Goel said, “If they truly love these dogs, why don’t they adopt them? Not a single so-called dog lover has adopted even one stray dog so far.”

He said even with immediate sterilisation and vaccination drives, Delhi’s estimated 8-10 lakh stray dogs would still roam the streets, making it essential to first move them into shelters.

Drawing a parallel with the government’s swift Covid-19 response, Goel said shelter homes could be built in eight weeks with the right intent. “If good results are achieved, there is no reason why the Supreme Court will not grant more time,” he said.

Goel claimed that all RWAs in Delhi were united in welcoming the court’s decision and challenged anyone to find even one RWA opposing the removal of stray dogs.

He also announced plans to convene a general assembly of RWAs to chalk out the next steps for effective implementation.

“This decision benefits both humans and animals,” he said. “If dog lovers are genuine, let them adopt — don’t just pretend by feeding them on the streets.”