The Supreme Court on Wednesday reassigned a suo motu case concerning stray dogs in the Delhi-NCR region to a fresh three-judge bench, scheduled to take up the matter tomorrow.
The new panel, consisting of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria, will replace the previous bench. The court pointed out that “the judges who passed the order are not part of the bench.”
This special bench is set to address several related petitions, including new ones opposing the capture of stray dogs. A total of four cases are on the docket for tomorrow, encompassing the suo motu proceedings, a 2024 petition previously brought before the court, and another public interest litigation raised today.
The court mandated that animal shelters be equipped with adequate staff to handle sterilization, deworming, and vaccination of stray dogs, along with providing ongoing care without returning them to streets, residential areas, or public spaces. All facilities will be under CCTV surveillance to prevent any dogs from being released or removed.
Authorities have been instructed to begin by establishing shelters for 5,000 dogs within the next six to eight weeks, describing it as a “progressive exercise” that will involve scaling up capacity gradually.
Relocation Concerns and Animal Welfare
Acknowledging potential issues with relocating dogs, the court stated, “We are mindful that relocation of dogs has concerns of well-being,” and emphasized that strays “should not be subjected to cruelty, mistreatment, or starvation” and must never be left unsupervised.
To avoid overcrowding, the bench directed that dogs receive regular, sufficient meals, with at least two responsible staff members on duty at all times via a structured schedule. Trained veterinarians must deliver prompt medical attention, and frail or vulnerable dogs should be housed separately when feasible.
Guidelines on Dog Adoption
The court indicated that officials could explore implementing an adoption program for sheltered dogs, following the Animal Welfare Board of India’s Standard Protocol for Adoption of Community Animals from May 2022.
However, it firmly ruled that “no such adoption should result in the re-release of a stray dog back onto the streets,” warning that “if we find even a single infraction of such kind, we will proceed to take the strictest of action against the official responsible as well as the individual.”
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