SC modifies earlier directions on stray dogs; orders their release post sterilisation, immunisation

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday modified its earlier directions for capture and complete relocation of stray dogs in the Delhi-NCR region. In a fresh order, the three-judge Bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N.V. Anjaria directed that stray dogs picked up must be released in their own territory after sterilisation and immunisation, except those infected with rabies or exhibiting aggressive behaviour.

The Justice Nath-led Bench, which reserved its decision last week in the suo motu case titled “In Re: City Hounded by Strays, Kids Pay Price”, emphasised the creation of dedicated feeding spaces for stray dogs while restricting public feeding.

Expanding the scope of proceedings beyond Delhi-NCR, the apex court impleaded all Union Territories and state governments for creation of a pan-India policy on stray dogs and proposed transferring to itself similar petitions pending in various High Courts.

The Justice Nath-led Bench did not alter its earlier direction that any organisation or group obstructing removal of stray dogs would face strict legal action.

The latest order directed that each individual dog lover and NGO will deposit Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 2 lakh respectively with the apex court registry, failing which they shall not be allowed to appear in the matter any further — a move apparently aimed at preventing the filing of frivolous intervention applications.

Earlier, a two-judge Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan had directed municipal bodies across Delhi-NCR to immediately capture all stray dogs and relocate them to shelters.

Citing serious concerns over public safety and the rising risk of rabies, the Justice Pardiwala-led Bench described the situation as “grim” and emphasised that urgent action was necessary to ensure the safety of children, women, and the elderly on the streets.

It had ordered New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and civic agencies in Noida, Gurugram, and Ghaziabad to begin picking up all stray dogs in their jurisdictions and move them to designated shelters.

The verdict on the relocation of the stray dogs to shelters in Delhi-NCR sparked an uproar from several quarters of society.

Subsequently, Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai constituted a larger 3-judge Bench as the order passed by the Justice Pardiwala-led Bench apparently conflicted with a 2024 apex court order that barred the killing of stray animals and emphasised compassion towards all living beings as an enshrined Constitutional value.

–IANS