In view of the rising incidents of stray dog attacks and rabies-related deaths in Delhi-NCR, the Supreme Court on Monday issued a significant order. The top court has directed that all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR be moved to shelters within eight weeks. It stated that stray dogs should be removed from residential areas and kept in shelter homes. The court also warned that any organisation or individual obstructing this process would face strict action.
Animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi reacted to the decision, saying, “This order will affect 1 million animals, which is very unfortunate. The Supreme Court has cancelled codified law without hearing the other side. This order will be challenged. Currently, shelters in the country are run only by NGOs and private organisations. The court did not consider the consequences of suddenly removing stray dogs. Delhi should have been made an example of an Animal Birth Control centre.”
The order was issued by a bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan. During the hearing, the bench said the move was being taken in the public interest and no emotions should be involved. Justice Pardiwala stated, “We are doing this not for ourselves, but for the public. Therefore, no emotions should be involved. Action must be taken as soon as possible.”
The court directed that for now, rules should be set aside and all dogs should be removed from localities and sent to shelter homes. It also clarified that only arguments from the central government would be heard on this matter and no petitions from other parties, including animal lovers, would be entertained.
Court’s directions regarding shelter homes
Following the Supreme Court’s order, the Delhi government said it is committed to implementing it on time. The court instructed civic authorities in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram to immediately build shelter homes and move the dogs there.
The court also directed that these shelters must have trained professionals who can handle dogs, carry out sterilisation, and provide vaccinations. CCTV cameras should be installed to ensure no dog escapes. The court further stated that no dog should be adopted during this period so that officials can complete the task of keeping them in shelters.
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“We cannot risk the lives of our children”
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that a site had been identified in Delhi to keep the dogs, but animal rights activists had stopped the move. He said, “We cannot risk the lives of our children just because of a few animal lovers.”
The court also authorised civic authorities to form a dedicated team to carry out the task efficiently. It emphasised that the situation is very serious and requires urgent action.
Concerns over rabies vaccine availability
The court also expressed concern over the availability of rabies vaccines. The Delhi government has been directed to provide detailed information on where vaccines are available, the stock levels, and the number of people seeking treatment each month.
According to official figures, between January and June this year, Delhi recorded 49 rabies cases and 35,198 animal bite incidents. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that rabies causes around 60,000 deaths globally each year, with 36% occurring in India.