Supreme Court reserves order on plea against stray dog removal in Delhi-NCR

The Supreme Court on Thursday held back its decision on petitions challenging an earlier directive to relocate stray dogs in the Delhi-NCR region to shelter homes.

During the hearing, the bench observed that the ongoing issue was the result of “inaction by authorities” in enforcing existing laws. “Rules and laws are framed by the Parliament, but they are not followed. Local authorities are not doing what they should be doing,” the court remarked.

A three-judge bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N V Anjaria, heard the matter. The case stems from an August 11 order by a two-judge bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, which directed local bodies to begin picking up stray dogs “at the earliest” and relocate them to shelters.

That order also required authorities to set up dedicated dog shelters and report on their progress within eight weeks. It further stated that the animals should remain in shelters and not be released back into public spaces.

The August 11 directions were issued while hearing a suo motu case initiated on July 28, focusing on rising incidents of stray dog bites, including rabies cases among children in the national capital.