Assam protests SC order on community dogs, demands humane alternative

Animal welfare advocates, NGOs, and concerned citizens staged coordinated demonstrations across Assam on Friday, opposing the Supreme Court’s recent directive on community dogs. The protests took place in Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Nagaon, Lakhimpur, and Nalbari, drawing participants from various sectors of society.

The gatherings began with silent protests, followed by peaceful rallies, where demonstrators called for the protection of community dogs and the continuation of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme. Organisers urged the court to reconsider its suo motu order issued on August 11, 2025, warning that relocation or displacement of these animals would harm both the dogs and local ecosystems.

Protesters emphasised that rabies prevention is achievable through vaccination, sterilisation, and awareness campaigns, rather than removal or culling. They cited scientific evidence, legal provisions, and ethical principles to back their demands for a nationwide, properly enforced ABC initiative.

Participants described community dogs as an integral part of neighbourhood life, rejecting the term “strays” and advocating for humane coexistence. Placards and chants carried a common message: “Protect. Vaccinate. Sterilise. Release. Coexist.”

The Assam demonstrations were part of a wider national mobilisation by India’s animal welfare community, signalling growing resistance to measures perceived as harmful to urban wildlife.