CJI to ‘look into’ stray dog controversy as SC order sparks outrage

The Supreme Court’s sweeping order to round up all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR within eight weeks and move them to shelters has triggered a wave of fury from animal welfare groups, even as Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai signaled on August 13 that he would “look into” the matter.

The assurance came when a 2024 petition—seeking regular sterilization and vaccination drives to curb dog bite cases — was mentioned before the CJI’s bench. While it was unclear whether he was referring to this earlier plea or the recent order, the CJI noted that “an order had already been passed” on the issue, pointing to the contentious judgment delivered earlier this week.

On Monday, a bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan described the stray dog situation in Delhi-NCR as “grim” and ordered civic bodies to act “with some force” to remove all strays — sterilized or not—from public spaces. “Society should be free from stray dogs,” the court said, taking suo motu cognizance of dog bite incidents leading to rabies.

The ruling has ignited protests and sharp criticism, with activists arguing that it violates the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, which mandate that sterilized and vaccinated dogs cannot be permanently relocated and must be returned to their original areas.

On August 12, tensions spilled onto the streets as 40–50 protesters were detained near India Gate while demanding that the order be rolled back. Social media has since become a battleground, with heated debates over public safety, humane treatment, and the limits of judicial intervention.