THE SUPREME COURT ON FRIDAY modified its August 11 directions on stray dogs, clarifying that captured dogs must be sterilised, dewormed, vaccinated, and then released back to the same localities from where they were picked up — except those suffering from rabies, suspected to be rabid, or showing aggressive behaviour. At the same time, the Court prohibited public feeding of stray dogs in streets and mandated the creation of dedicated feeding points, while signalling the need for a uniform national policy on stray dog management.
A three-judge Bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N.V. Anjaria said that while public safety is paramount, the issue requires a “holistic approach” that balances human concerns with animal welfare. It stayed the August 11 order of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan, which had required all stray dogs picked up in Delhi-NCR to be permanently housed in shelters and not returned to the streets.
Expanding the scope of the issue making it pan-India, the Court said that municipal bodies across the country must ensure that only sterilised and immunised dogs are returned to their original areas. Rabid or dangerously aggressive animals may be quarantined or kept in shelters. “Dogs that are picked up shall be sterilised, dewormed, vaccinated and released back to the same area,” the Bench directed.
This marks a significant departure from the August 11 ruling, which had barred the release of stray dogs under any circumstance. The Court stressed that modifying the earlier order was necessary to align with the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules and to adopt a practical framework for coexistence.
