The Supreme Court on Friday modified its previous August 11 directive, which required authorities in the Delhi-NCR to capture all stray dogs and keep them in the shelters.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria ruled that strays can be released back into the same area after they are vaccinated, dewormed, and sterilized. This marked a significant modification to the earlier blanket ban on releasing dogs.
Strays To Be Returned With Conditions
“Prohibition on release of strays shall be stayed. They shall be dewormed, vaccinated etc and sent back to the same area,” the bench directed.
However, dogs showing aggressive behavior or infected with rabies will not be allowed back into public spaces.
The court also reaffirmed its stance against feeding strays on roads, warning that such practices had led to serious incidents. Instead, it ordered the creation of designated feeding zones. “No public feeding of dogs allowed. Dedicated feeding spaces of stray dogs to be created,” the order said.
Penalties for Intervention Without Deposit
In a bid to prevent unnecessary litigation, the bench directed that individuals and NGOs seeking to intervene in the matter must deposit money with the court – ₹25,000 for individuals and ₹2 lakh for NGOs.
“Each individual dog lover and NGO that has approached this court shall deposit ₹25,000 and ₹2 lakh respectively within seven days, failing which they shall not be allowed to appear in the matter any further,” the court said.
The earlier direction restraining activists from obstructing municipal work will remain in force.
Towards A National Stray Dog Policy
Broadening the case beyond Delhi-NCR, the court impleaded all States and Union Territories as parties and transferred similar cases pending before High Courts to itself.
“All similar matters shall be transferred to this court for a final national policy,” the bench observed. It will now work on framing a countrywide policy to tackle stray dog management.
The controversy began after the August 11 order by another bench, which mandated mass capture of strays, construction of shelters for 5,000 dogs, sterilization, and vaccination.
That order was passed after the court flagged rising dog bite cases—over 25,000 in Delhi in 2024 and more than 3,000 in January 2025 alone.
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