Court Modifies Stray Dog Order, Prohibits Public Feeding

NEW DELHI- The Supreme Court on August 22 revised its previous order on stray dog management in the Delhi-NCR region, stating that a total ban on releasing treated and vaccinated dogs was “too harsh.” The three-judge bench, which included Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria, noted that a sweeping directive to round up all strays and place them in shelters might be impossible to carry out due to a lack of infrastructure.

In its decision on the case titled “In Re: City Hounded by Strays, Kids Pay Price,” the court ruled that sterilized, dewormed, and vaccinated dogs should be returned to their original areas. However, it specified that dogs with rabies or those that exhibit aggressive behavior should not be released.

The bench, led by Justice Vikram Nath, also ordered municipal bodies to establish designated feeding zones in each ward with proper signage. The court prohibited feeding stray dogs on streets, stating that individuals who violate this rule could face legal action. Municipal authorities were also directed to create a dedicated helpline to report such violations.

The court made it clear that no individual or group could obstruct the implementation of its orders and warned that anyone preventing public servants from carrying out these duties would face prosecution. The court also allowed people to apply to municipal bodies to adopt street dogs.

The bench ordered individual dog lovers who approached the court to deposit Rs 25,000 and NGOs to deposit Rs 2 lakh with the court registry within a week. These funds will be used for creating infrastructure for stray dogs under the supervision of the respective municipal bodies.

The court expanded the scope of the matter nationwide, directing all states and Union Territories to provide reports on their compliance with the Animal Birth Control Rules, including statistics on dog pounds, veterinarians, and dog-catching resources.

The new order modifies an earlier directive from a two-judge bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan, which had ordered municipal bodies to immediately capture all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR and relocate them to shelters. The previous order had led to widespread public criticism.