The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday modified its previous August 8 order regarding stray dogs in Delhi-NCR, directing that the sterilized and vaccinated dogs should be released again into the same location, providing relief to pet lovers. But stray dogs with aggressive tendencies or rabies infection will be immunized and housed in a different shelter, the court ordered.
Giving its verdict, the three-judge bench of Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta, and Justice NV Anjaria observed:
“Prohibition on release of strays shall be stayed. They should be dewormed, vaccinated, and sent back to the same area.”
The bench also broadened the ambit of the case beyond Delhi-NCR, observing that the Supreme Court would formulate a national policy on stray dogs after examining the case in depth.
The amendment follows the August 8 order, which was passed by a bench headed by Justice JB Pardiwala and had ordered civic authorities in Delhi-NCR to catch all stray dogs within eight weeks and relocate them to shelters. The judgment outraged animal rights activists, NGOs, and celebrities alike, and they contended that such a setup was both humanely not possible and non-viable.
Case Assigned to New Bench
In an extraordinary step, Chief Justice BR Gavai transferred the case to a new three-judge bench after nationwide protests. The court has now made it clear that Animal Birth Control (ABC) guidelines need to be adhered to, including sterilisation, vaccination, and re-releasing dogs to their original area.
5 Big Points from Supreme Court (SC) order on Delhi Stray Dogs
Feeding Banned on Streets, Adoption Permitted
The Supreme Court has widened its stray canine guidelines throughout India, instructing all state chief secretaries to comply. The highest court instructed civic authorities to establish specific feeding zones in each municipal ward, whereas feeding stray canines on public roads shall at no point be permitted. Offenders shall face prosecution.
Sterilisation and Release Back into Same Area
Unlike the previous August 8 order, which demanded all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR to be collected and placed in shelters, the wider bench clarified that strays need to be immunised, dewormed, sterilized and then freed back into the same area.
But dogs that have rabies or aggressive tendencies will not be released and need to be housed in different shelters after being immunized.
Adoption of Stray Dogs Allowed
The court added that animal lovers can also approach civic authorities to adopt stray dogs. The adopted dog’s care is extremely important and the responsibility rests with the person adopting the dog, not to abandon it on the streets again.
Penalty for Obstructing Officials
The court also ordered that no organization or individual should hinder municipal officials discharging their duty under the order.
Also, the court ordered costs on those who had intervened in the suo motu proceedings. NGOs and dog lovers who will be challenging the August 8 order will have to deposit ₹25,000 to ₹2 lakh with the registrar.
Shedding light on the top court’s order, advocate of petitioner Vivek Sharma says, “The observation (of imposing fine) of Rs 25,000 and Rs 2 lakh in the order is meant for NGOs and intervenors who intervened in the suo motu matter, not for common people. The purpose of it can be understood by going through the order. These funds will be used for the welfare of dogs.”
