No Stray Dogs On Roads! Supreme Court’s Verdict On Permanent Shift In Delhi NCR

In a path-breaking decision to address the menace of the stray dog population, the Supreme Court today ordered all civic bodies in the national capital as well as the National Capital Region (NCR) to clear the dog menace off the streets in eight weeks, directing them to shift the dogs to shelters permanently. The Court termed the situation as highly grim, with the city of Delhi experiencing a terrorizing 2,000 dog bites daily.

The bench, acting on many petitions on this matter, directed the Government of NCT of Delhi, MCD, NDMC, and municipal authorities in Gurgaon, Noida, and Ghaziabad to establish well-staffed, CCTV-equipped shelters with a sufficient capacity to take in at least 5000 dogs. Areas of high risk and vulnerable areas are to be given priority.

Captured dogs under the order will have to undergo sterilisation, vaccination, and will be kept in the shelters permanently, with no permission to release them into the open areas, as it is currently bound under Animal Birth Control (ABC) guidelines.

It also ordered the establishment of a special dog-bite helpline within a span of one week to receive complaints pertaining to dog bites. The police should act on such requests with a time limit of four hours to pick up the offending dog and undertake sterilisation and vaccination, and then keep it at a shelter.

The bench had issued a stern warning to any individuals/organisations aiding the process of hindering capture and shelters.

Surge In Stray Dog Attacks On Public 

This comes in the wake of increased attacks on the public, who are increasingly becoming anxious about stray dogs, and some of the victims are children and older adults who have sustained serious injuries. Although the move has been welcomed by many citizens, others have raised concerns under the animal rights organizations, which have requested that the operation has to be implemented humanely, as the process is to be permanent.

The direction issued by the Supreme Court will have an immense effect on the urban ecosystem of Delhi-NCR, and this will be considered one of the most significant policies to shift the way India treats stray dogs.

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