SC Reserves Order On Plea Seeking Stay On Dogs Relocation Order

Supreme Court of India

The Supreme Court on Thursday put on hold its ruling in petitions challenging the August 11 directive that all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR be removed from neighbourhoods and placed in shelter homes.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria said an interim order will be issued soon on the matter, which had been decided earlier by a different bench.

“Silent Majority” At Risk: SG

Representing the Delhi government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that public safety concerns were being ignored due to the influence of a “loud vocal minority.”

“In a democracy, there is a vocal majority and one who silently suffers… Children are dying. Sterilisation does not stop rabies; even if you immunise them, that does not stop mutilation of children,” he said.

He cited WHO data reporting 37 lakh dog bites in 2024 and 305 rabies deaths, mostly among children under 15.

“Dogs do not have to be killed, but they must be separated. Parents cannot send children out to play. Young girls are mutilated,” he added.

Petitioners Raise Shelter & Sterilisation Concerns

Kapil Sibal, appearing for an NGO, questioned whether civic bodies had built sufficient shelter homes or completed sterilisation drives.

“Now dogs are picked up. But the order says once they are sterilised, do not leave them out in the community,” he pointed out while seeking a stay on the August 11 order.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that while dog bites occur, Delhi has had zero rabies deaths this year.

“Bites are bad, but you cannot create a horror situation like this,” he said.

Court Flags Poor Enforcement Of Rules

The bench also sought clarity on the enforcement of the Animal Birth Control Rules, blaming the crisis on official inaction.

“Rules are framed by Parliament but not followed. Local authorities are not doing what they should be doing. On one hand, humans are suffering, and on the other, animal lovers are here,” Justice Nath observed.

August 11 Order Came After “Two Decades of Inaction”

The earlier two-judge bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan had ruled that all localities in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and Faridabad be cleared of stray dogs, with none returned to the streets.