The Supreme Court on Friday modified its August 11 order on the management of stray dogs in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), allowing their release back into the same areas after sterilisation and immunisation.
The Court clarified that dogs infected with rabies or showing aggressive behaviour will not be released and must instead be kept in designated shelters.
“No stray dog will be released unless sterilised and vaccinated, except those exhibiting rabies or aggression,” the bench stated.
In its directive, the Court also prohibited public feeding of dogs and ordered the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to create dedicated feeding zones in municipal wards. Animal lovers wishing to adopt stray dogs may apply to the MCD, it added.
Expanding the scope of the proceedings, the apex court issued notices to Animal Husbandry Departments of all States and Union Territories, seeking their views on framing a national policy on stray dog management. It also instructed its Registry to collect details of similar cases pending in High Courts, stating that all such matters would be transferred to the Supreme Court.
Calling the ruling a “balanced order”, petitioner and Supreme Court lawyer Nanita Sharma said the judgment addresses both public safety and animal welfare, ensuring sterilisation for regular dogs while mandating shelters for aggressive ones.
The clarification came after the Court’s August 11 directive, which had ordered the removal of all stray dogs from localities across Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and Faridabad, without permitting their return.
The bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Madadev reiterated that the issue stemmed from the systematic failure of authorities over two decades, stressing that the Court’s directions serve the welfare of both citizens and animals.
