THE CONTEXT: The SC took up Suo motu case on stray dogs after media reports about rising dog‑bite cases, rabies, and public safety. An earlier order (August 11, 2025) directed authorities to remove all stray dogs from public streets and house them in shelters, with a timeline (6‑8 weeks) and creation of shelters for thousands of dogs.
Modifications to that order (August 22, 2025): Due to objections, especially from animal welfare groups, the SC revised its orders. Key modifications include:
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- Release after treatment: Stray dogs picked up must be sterilised, vaccinated, dewormed and then released back into the same area from which they were picked up (except those with rabies or showing aggression).
- Public feeding banned: Feeding stray dogs on public roads or in public areas is prohibited. Only designated feeding zones in municipal wards are allowed.
- Prohibition on obstruction: Individuals, NGOs, or organisations must not obstruct local authorities doing their duty under these orders. There are also penalties (monetary) for NGOs or intervenors in the case.
- Pan‑India scope: The SC directed that the matter be implemented not just in Delhi‑NCR but in all states and union territories. Related cases pending in various high courts were transferred to the SC.
Other specific directions
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- Creation of feeding zones in each ward of municipal corporations.
- Establishment of shelters with veterinarian care, ensuring no cruelty, overcrowding or neglect.
- Adoption schemes: Animal lovers/NGOs can apply to adopt stray dogs under certain conditions. Adopted dogs should not be released back to public places.
Legal Framework
1. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960
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- This is the main central legislation governing how animals (including stray dogs) must be treated. It prohibits cruelty and lays obligations on authorities.
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2. Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2001, and 2023
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- These rules (under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act) regulate how stray dogs are to be sterilised, vaccinated, dewormed, etc.
- Under ABC rules, a key principle is that after sterilisation, vaccination etc., dogs are released back to the area from which they were picked.
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Facts about Stray Dog Management
1. India has the highest stray dog population in the world: Estimated over 70 million stray dogs, growing rapidly in urban areas due to unplanned waste disposal and lack of sterilisation.
2. Rabies is a major threat: India accounts for 36% of the world’s rabies deaths, many linked to dog bites. Around 20,000 deaths per year in India due to rabies.
3. Urbanisation fuels stray dog issues: Poor garbage management, open food waste, and unauthorised feeding zones help stray dog populations thrive.
4. Only 30–40% of urban stray dogs are currently sterilised: To effectively control population growth, at least 70% of stray dogs in a given area need to be sterilised.
Best Practices for Stray Dog Management
1. Humane ABC Programs with monitoring: Sterilise and vaccinate dogs at scale (70%+ of population) with real-time monitoring and GPS tagging.
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- Example: Jaipur’s ABC success with help of NGOs like Help in Suffering.
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2. Public education & awareness: Educating citizens about safe coexistence, rabies vaccination, and proper ways to feed dogs (at feeding zones only).
3. Proper waste and food management: Sealing garbage, reducing open waste, and eliminating easy food sources reduce stray attraction to urban zones.
4. Designated feeding zones: Municipalities should identify and maintain feeding spots in each ward, away from schools, hospitals, or residential entryways.
5. Technology-driven tracking: Use of microchipping, mobile apps to report dog sightings/bites, and sterilisation records.
CONCLUSION
Effective stray dog management is not just an animal welfare issue — it is a critical matter of public health, urban governance, and community harmony. India’s growing stray dog population, combined with rising dog bite and rabies cases, highlights the urgent need for humane, law-abiding, and scientifically sound solutions.
STRAY DOGS AND ETHICAL ISSUES
1. Animal Rights vs. Human Safety: Balancing the right to life and humane treatment of animals with the right to safety and health of citizens. Stray dogs are sentient beings protected under Article 21 (right to life), but aggressive dog behaviour, rising bite cases, and rabies risk threaten human lives.
2. Legal vs. Moral Conflict: Culling or permanent removal of dogs is prohibited by law—but some civic bodies and citizens demand it due to fear and frustration.
3. Ethical Failure of the State: Poor garbage management, weak sterilisation programs, and underfunded shelters reflect systemic neglect.
4. Compassion vs. Conflict: Many individuals feed strays out of empathy. However, unregulated feeding can lead to aggressive dog behavior and public nuisance.
5. Ethical Inconsistency: Many municipal authorities fail to follow ABC rules — including releasing dogs back post-sterilisation, causing overcrowding or neglect in shelters.
6. Voice of the Voiceless: Animals can’t speak or defend their rights. Ethically, humans have a duty of care as the more powerful species.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”— Mahatma Gandhi
Stray dog management, when rooted in ethical action and legal clarity, becomes not a conflict — but a path toward coexistence, dignity, and shared urban space for all living beings.
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