Supreme Court Orders Immediate Capture of All Stray Dogs in Delhi-NCR, Warns Activists Not to Interfere

In a sweeping directive aimed at tackling the growing menace of stray dog bites and rabies, the Supreme Court on Monday ordered civic authorities in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) to immediately capture, sterilize, and permanently relocate all stray dogs to shelters. The court issued a stern warning that it would not tolerate any interference from individuals or animal welfare organizations in the implementation of its order.

A bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan described the situation as “serious” and mandated that the exercise be carried out without compromise. “NCT Delhi, MCD, NMDC shall at the earliest start picking up stray dogs from all localities… this should be the first and foremost exercise to make all localities free of stray dogs,” the bench declared.

Emphasizing the gravity of the issue, the court made it clear that any resistance would be met with legal action. “If any individual or organisation comes in the way of picking stray dogs or rounding them up, we will proceed to take action against any such resistance,” the court added.

The directive was issued while the court was adjudicating a case it had taken up on its own initiative (suo motu) last month, following a news report on the alarming rise in rabies cases and deaths, especially among children and the elderly, in and around Delhi.

The court stated that its order was not for “self-interest, but for the people at large,” and that “no sentiments of any nature can be involved” when public safety is at stake. “Infants and young children, not at any cost, should fall prey to rabies. The action should inspire confidence that they can move freely without fear of being bitten by stray dogs,” the bench remarked, highlighting the failure of civic bodies to control the situation thus far.