Marking unrest among animalists like Monali Thakur, who termed the order as “inhumane” and “evil”, is the Supreme Court’s order to rid Delhi-NCR streets of all stray dogs within eight weeks. This directive meant to curtail dog bites and rabies is igniting much debate on animal welfare and public safety. But is this a right solution?
An Unscientific and Cruel Directive by Humans
Thakur’s impassioned outpouring is in keeping with Maneka Gandhi’s activism and PETA India’s condemnation of the Supreme Court order as “the most unscientific” and “cruel.” It directs the relocation of as many as 10 lakh strays in India to shelters, an action that runs counter to the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules of 2023, which advocate sterilisation with a return to habitat after.
Monali bashed the decision and questioned the entitlement of humans, “Humans need to stop thinking they are special coz THEY ARE NOT!!! We have not damaged the earth and every other species for pure SADISM and atrociously selfish agendas!!! We ARE an EVIL species and I AM EMBARRASSED to be a Human!! Shame!!..”
Public Safety Vs Animal Rightism: A Misguided Approach
The order of the court is mainly based on statistics that frighten. It is 37 lakh dog bites a year and 305 deaths by rabies in the country. But according to Thakur, people need to understand other species too, instead of rushing into such evil solutions.
Another popular, proven solution is mass sterilization, vaccination and community care, but for now, everything’s focusing on removing and not preventing the worst cases. A LocalCircles survey showed 71% of people were in favor of the ruling, and critics argue that it failed to address the root causes such as poor sterilisation programs.
A Call for Humane Solutions
Thakur’s emotive outpouring speaks for a larger public demand on the idea of sympathy. Activists have called on the court to consider humane alternatives among them, national dog censuses, robust sterilization drives, and public awareness about coexisting with strays.
She shared her own personal story of fighting against life and the support she got from the ‘beautiful creatures,’ she got teared and called for support and cancellation of this ‘inhumane’ and ‘evil’ step. Bollywood stars and animal activists are all in this fight together, hoping for an amendment.
