Supreme Court relaxes stray dog curbs, orders regulated release after vaccination

In a significant modification of its earlier order, the Supreme Court on August 22 eased restrictions on stray dogs in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), allowing their return to original locations after sterilisation, deworming and vaccination.

The three-judge bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria clarified that the ruling will not extend to rabid or aggressive dogs, which must remain confined in shelters even after treatment. “As far as possible, such stray dogs shall be kept in a separate pound shelter after sterilisation and immunisation,” the bench directed.

To address growing concerns over public safety and civic disruption, the court ordered municipal bodies to identify and set up dedicated feeding zones in every ward. Feeding strays on streets and public places will be strictly prohibited, with violators facing legal action. Municipal authorities have also been directed to establish helplines for reporting breaches of the order.

The bench cited reports of “untoward incidents caused by unregulated feeding of stray dogs” while stressing the need to protect both public safety and animal welfare. “Notice boards shall be placed near designated feeding areas, and persons found feeding on streets in contravention of the above direction shall be liable to prosecution,” the court said.

In a stern message to petitioners, the court directed individual animal lovers and NGOs involved in the case to deposit Rs 25,000 and Rs 2 lakh respectively with the SC registry within a week, warning that non-compliance would bar their further participation.

The order also opened avenues for adoption: dog lovers may formally adopt tagged stray dogs through municipal bodies, with the responsibility to ensure that the animals do not return to the streets.

Expanding the scope of the matter, the apex court ordered impleadment of all states and union territories and directed transfer of pending cases on the issue from various High Courts to itself. Compliance reports on sterilisation, vaccination, and other ABC (Animal Birth Control) measures must now be filed by municipal bodies with complete data on resources.