A humane, evidence-based approach — comprising sterilisation, vaccination, proper waste management, and community engagement — offers a more sustainable path to ensuring public safety while respecting India’s cultural and ethical ties with stray dogs
A massive backlash is in the offing on the Supreme Court of India’s sweeping directive issued on August 11th, 2025, ordering the removal of stray dogs from the streets of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) within eight weeks, mandating their relocation to shelters. The court’s decision, prompted by a suo motu case addressing the rising incidents of dog bites and rabies, particularly affecting children and the elderly, has sparked intense debate.
While the court’s intention to protect public safety is undeniable, the order is a flawed and short-sighted approach that fails to address the root causes of the stray dog issue and risks exacerbating both human-animal conflict and animal suffering. This article analyses the Supreme Court’s decision and proposes humane, science-based solutions to tackle the problem effectively.
The Supreme Court’s directive, issued by Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, mandates civic bodies in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and Faridabad to capture stray dogs, sterilise and immunise them, and house them in shelters equipped with CCTV surveillance and sufficient staff.