India's Supreme Court has directed states to immediately remove stray dogs from public areas such as schools, hospitals, and transport hubs, citing safety concerns amid rising dog bite incidents. The order requires dogs to be sterilized, vaccinated, and housed in designated shelters without release back to original locations. Animal welfare groups and campus communities express alarm over implementation challenges and impacts on animal rights.
On November 8, 2025, the Supreme Court of India issued a directive to states, ordering the "forthwith" removal of every stray dog from public premises including educational institutions, hospitals, and transport hubs. The court emphasized public safety due to increasing dog bite incidents, mandating that captured dogs undergo sterilization and vaccination in line with Animal Birth Control Rules before placement in designated shelters, with no return to their pickup locations.
This ruling builds on prior orders. On August 11, the court instructed authorities in Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, and Ghaziabad to pick up strays and house them in shelters to make localities dog-free. This was modified on August 22 to allow release back to the same area after sterilization, deworming, and vaccination. Animal activists have criticized the latest order for potentially undermining animal rights.
In Delhi, an estimated 8 lakh stray dogs roam the streets. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) manages this through 13 registered NGOs operating 20 Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres, each accommodating 80 to 200 dogs. Between April and September 2025, 54,623 dogs were sterilized and immunized, according to an MCD affidavit to the court.
NGOs highlight severe capacity constraints. Bandana Sen Gupta, founder of Sonadi Charitable Trust, noted her shelter currently holds 70 dogs, with 10 sterilized the previous day. "If these animals can’t be released back, and if tomorrow an MCD van comes with more dogs, where will I keep them?" she said, adding that MCD owes her organization significant payments for services, complicating feeding and medical care.
Deepak Nagar, a dog catcher at Neighbourhood Woof in Timarpur, described the order as nearly impossible to implement. His centre houses 150-200 dogs at a time, with new kennels under construction but limited to 4-6 dogs each. "They cannot be confined forever," he stated.
At Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi, the order has sparked emotional responses. The campus hosts 280 to 300 stray dogs, with 85% sterilized per a July survey. The Animal Welfare Society, led by Vipul Jain of the PAWS foundation, promotes coexistence: "We have rescued not only dogs, but also porcupines, lizards, birds and peacocks. We believe that humans and animals can co-exist."
Staff and residents share attachments to dogs like eight-year-old Alpha, called Golu, who naps at the health centre and enters at night by pushing the gate. Housekeeping staffer Dharamveer (32) said, "He stays with us only... he is like our child." Ambulance driver Akshay Lal (40) added, "If he is quiet, we know that he is feeling unwell. How will we let him go?"
PhD student Sarmi Sinha (34) from Ganga Hostel aids sterilization efforts and cares for dogs like Bruno and Kaalu, who guard the gate. "The Supreme Court order seems like we are forcefully trying to impose our wish on creatures who cannot speak for themselves," she remarked. Nearby resident Jasbir Kaur (70) feeds about 50 campus dogs daily, noting their familiarity with the area.
MCD sources indicated an upcoming order to designate individuals at public sites to prevent on-premises feeding, with officials suggesting initial steps like nearby feeding spots to keep dogs away without relocation.
