On August 11, 2025, the Supreme Court of India stepped in on its own (suo moto) after some recent incidents involving street dogs. The Court ordered that all dogs in Delhi–NCR should be caught, sterilized, vaccinated, and kept in shelters permanently.
Once caught, they cannot be released back to the streets.
The goal, as the Court says, is public safety. But while the intention may sound right, the reality is that this decision could cause huge problems — for the animals and for the communities they’ve been part of for years.
A Slow Death in the Name of Safety
The order doesn’t talk about killing the dogs, but “permanent shelter” sounds better than it is. In truth, it’s like giving them a slow-motion death sentence.
India doesn’t have enough shelters to keep lakhs of dogs for their entire lives. The shelters we already have are overcrowded and short on funds. Many struggle to provide basic food, space, and medical care. Adding thousands more dogs will mean worse conditions — hunger, disease, and neglect.
Going Against the Law That Works
This move also goes against the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023. These rules clearly say:
- Catch the dogs.
- Sterilize and vaccinate them.
- Release them back to the same place they were picked up from.
Why? Because dogs are territorial. When sterilized and vaccinated dogs live in an area, they prevent new, unvaccinated dogs from moving in. This keeps the population stable and reduces the spread of rabies.
If you take all the dogs away, a “territorial vacuum” is created. That vacuum will soon be filled by other, unsterilized dogs — bringing back the same problems.
The Numbers Don’t Add Up
Delhi has around *6 lakh street dogs. The Municipal Corporation says it plans to catch *6,000 in six weeks. That’s only a small fraction.
Even if more are caught later, big questions remain:
- Where will they go?
- Where is the land for so many new shelters?
- Who will fund their care for the next 8–10 years of their lives?
Right now, there are no clear answers — which makes this feel more like a knee-jerk reaction than a well-planned solution.
Community Dogs Are Not Just “Strays”
Street dogs are part of our neighborhoods. Many are fed, named, and cared for by local residents. They act as watch dogs, offering a sense of safety, especially to elderly people or those living alone.
For some, these dogs are the only source of love and companionship they have.
Safety Is Possible Without Cruelty
Yes, rabies and dog bites are serious problems. But there are proven, humane solutions that work:
- Mass vaccination drives to protect against rabies.
- Large-scale sterilization to keep the population under control.
- Awareness programs to teach safe human–dog interaction.
- Quick medical care and rabies shots for anyone bitten.
These steps save human lives and animal lives at the same time — without crowding shelters or breaking existing laws.
The Bigger Question — Who Do We Want to Be?
Our Constitution, in Article 51A(g), says we must have compassion for all living creatures. This order from the Supreme Court risks replacing compassion with fear.
Street dogs didn’t choose to live on the road. They are here because of human actions — neglect, poor waste management, and abandonment. The least we can do is treat them with kindness and science-backed solutions.
This is not just about dogs.
It’s about what kind of society we want to be:
- A society that uses facts, compassion, and planning.
- Or one that reacts out of fear, even if it means hurting the voiceless.
The choice is ours.
