SC reserves order on plea against stray dog relocation

The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved Order on the pleas to stay the directions passed by a two-judge bench on the 11th of August to remove the stray dogs in Delhi National Capital Region to shelter homes. The three-judge bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice N V Anjaria heard the matter after two-judge bench comprising Justice J B Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan took suo motu order to remove all stray dogs and shifted to shelters. The judgment comes after some lawyers mentioned before the Chief Justice of India that earlier directions were in conflict with the previous orders passed by other benches.

At the outset, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Delhi government, said that there was a loud vocal minority and a silent suffering majority. “In a democracy, there is a vocal majority and one who silently suffers. We have seen videos of people eating chicken, eggs, etc., and then claiming to be animal lovers. It is an issue that needs to be resolved. Children are dying… Sterilisation does not stop rabies; even if you immunise them, that does not prevent the mutilation of children,” the Solicitor General said.

The Solicitor General presented data before the apex court, saying that 37 lakh dog bites were reported in the country in 2024, with 305 rabies deaths, mostly among children aged 15. WHO’s modelling shows a much higher number. “Dogs do not have to be killed; they have to be separated. Parents cannot send children out to play. Nobody is an animal hater,” he stressed.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for an NGO, argued that the question is whether municipal corporations have built shelter homes for dogs and whether the dogs have been sterilised. “Now dogs are being picked up, but the order says once they are sterilised, do not release them back into the community,” said Sibal while seeking a stay on the August 11 order of the two-judge bench.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi also opposed the August 11 order, which directed authorities to place stray dogs in shelter homes, and said dog bites exist, but there have been zero rabies deaths in Delhi this year. “Of course, bites are a concern, but you cannot create a horror situation like this,” he said. The bench also asked the local authorities about their stand on the implementation of the Animal Birth Control Rules, noting that the problem stems from inaction in enforcing the rules. “Rules and laws are framed by Parliament, but they are not followed. Local authorities are not doing what they should. On one hand, humans are suffering, and on the other, animal lovers are here,” said Justice Nath.