Supreme Court Issues Detailed Order on Stray Dog Round-Up, Sets Strict Welfare Safeguards

The Supreme Court on Wednesday released a detailed written order expanding its August 11 verdict on the stray dog menace, laying down strict welfare standards for captured animals and directing that none be subjected to cruelty, overcrowding, starvation, or neglect at any stage.

The order came as the suo motu case was reassigned from Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan to a new bench led by Justice Vikram Nath. It reiterates that all stray dogs in Delhi and the NCR must be captured and housed in shelters “at the earliest” with no re-release to the streets, and calls for round-the-clock care, adequate feeding, and timely veterinary attention. Vulnerable or weak dogs must be housed separately “as far as possible.”

Authorities must maintain at least two responsible staffers at each shelter at all times, log and mark every captured dog for identification, and face strict action if any animal is released. Adoption may be considered under the Animal Welfare Board’s 2022 protocol, with permanent rehoming and ongoing monitoring.

The court has directed shelters for at least 5,000 dogs in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and Faridabad within six to eight weeks, a helpline for dog-bite reports, and animal pickup within four hours. It also warned that obstructing the capture programme would amount to contempt of court.

Rejecting “virtue signalling” in the debate, the bench said the directions balance public safety with animal welfare, noting a two-decade “systematic failure” to address the issue. It urged animal-welfare groups and citizens to assist in shelter operations.

The litigation began after a child died from rabies following a dog bite, with the court citing high attack rates among children, elderly people, and other vulnerable groups. By codifying shelter protocols and capture rules, the court aims to prevent abuse while tackling long-standing safety concerns.