SC Sets Strict Rules to Prevent Cruelty, Starvation in Delhi Stray Dog Removal Order

Supreme Court Issues Detailed Guidelines for Delhi Stray Dog Round-Up, Ensures Animal Welfare.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday released a comprehensive written order following its August 11 verdict on Delhi’s stray dog issue, outlining strict rules to prevent cruelty, starvation, or neglect of captured animals.

The three-judge bench led by Justice Vikram Nath directed that all stray dogs in Delhi and the NCR be housed in shelters, with no release back onto streets. Authorities must prevent overcrowding, ensure continuous care, and provide timely veterinary attention, with vulnerable animals housed separately.

Shelters must maintain minimum staffing levels, proper record-keeping, and identification for all dogs. Obstruction of the programme may be treated as contempt of court. Adoption is allowed only after rigorous vetting, ensuring permanent rehoming without returning dogs to public areas.

The order added Faridabad to the shelter programme and mandated a helpline for dog-bite complaints, with offending animals to be picked up within four hours. The court questioned existing rules requiring sterilised dogs to be returned to the same areas where they pose risks.

Highlighting public safety concerns for children, the elderly, the visually impaired, and the homeless, the court stressed balancing human security with animal welfare. The suo motu case was triggered by reports of a child’s death from rabies following a dog bite and decades of municipal inaction.

This order codifies welfare standards and operational protocols, aiming to protect both humans and animals while addressing the stray dog menace in Delhi and NCR.