Supreme Court stray dog directive praised, but infrastructure gaps remain: AAP MP

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP and Founder-Chancellor of Lovely Professional University (LPU), Ashok Kumar Mittal, has welcomed the Supreme Court’s directive to remove stray dogs from public spaces and rehabilitate them in shelters, but cautioned the success of the initiative depends on adequate infrastructure across the country.

“The Supreme Court’s directive to remove stray dogs from educational institutions, hospitals, bus stands, railway stations and other public spaces to shelters is well-meaning, but do we have the required infrastructure?” Mittal asked, stressing the order must be backed by strong implementation mechanisms.

Mittal recalled his address in Parliament on July 27, 2024, where he proposed a dedicated block-level rehabilitation strategy for stray animals. He also suggested integrating the initiative with the Swachh Bharat Mission and making stray animal management a criterion in the performance rankings of Urban Local Bodies.

Emphasising the need for a compassionate approach, Mittal said the focus should remain on humane sheltering, sterilisation, vaccination and rehabilitation of stray animals. He stressed the problem was not merely about removing strays from public spaces but about reforming the way India manages coexistence between people and animals. “Our next steps must reflect humane governance, not neglect,” he said.