Supreme Court Puts Human Safety First: Stray Dogs in Delhi-NCR to Be Relocated to Shelters
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In a landmark decision on stray dogs in Delhi-NCR, the Supreme Court has ruled that human beings have the fundamental right to move freely without fear of dog bites or attacks — and that this right must take precedence over stray dogs roaming public spaces.
The directive follows strong recommendations from an amicus curiae report, which criticized existing Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules and called for a shift in policy. Authorities in Delhi-NCR have now been ordered to relocate stray dogs in Delhi to dedicated shelters, with a clear instruction: no dog should be released back on the streets under any circumstance.
Human Rights Over “Community Animal” Rights
At the core of the ruling is the assertion that Articles 19(1)(d) and 21 of the Constitution — which guarantee the right to free movement and the right to life — also protect citizens from the threats of bites of stray dogs in Delhi.
Senior Advocate Gaurav Agarwal, acting as amicus curiae, stated bluntly:
“Putting the dog back on the street, where there is grave harm to us, is a direct violation of our fundamental rights.”
This stance challenges the 2023 ABC Rules, which reclassified stray dogs as “community animals” and required that they be returned to their original locations after sterilisation. The amicus report argued there’s no evidence sterilisation alone prevents dog bites, making this approach both unsafe and ineffective.
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Social media has a mixed reaction on this. How ever many seen welcomed the decision.
The Numbers Tell a Grim Story
The urgency of the court’s decision is underscored by alarming statistics:
- 37.15 lakh reported dog bites across India in 2024.
- 25,201 dog bites in Delhi last year alone.
- 3,196 cases in Delhi in January 2025 — a projected 50% rise if the trend continues.
The report also drew comparisons with developed nations, noting that most have zero stray dogs on their streets, reinforcing the need for India to rethink its public space policies.
Stray Dogs in Delhi-NCR: What Next?
The Supreme Court has ordered immediate steps to be taken, including:
- Establishing shelters with capacity for 5,000 dogs within 6–8 weeks.
- Keeping all captured strays in shelters permanently.
- Partnering with animal welfare groups to encourage adoption.
By placing human safety at the forefront, the court’s decision signals a major shift away from street return policies towards controlled shelter-based management.
Bottom line:
The debate over Supreme Court verdict on Stray dogs in Delhi, balancing animal welfare with public safety has reached a turning point. With this ruling, the Court has made its position clear — protecting people’s right to walk the streets without fear comes first, and the future of stray dog management in India is likely to change dramatically.
