A day after the Supreme Court upheld procedures for managing stray dogs in Delhi, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi is preparing new shelters and a protocol for handling aggressive animals.
The Supreme Court’s Tuesday order dismissed challenges to the standard operating procedure. It stated that authorities may euthanise rabid, incurably ill or demonstrably dangerous dogs after assessment by veterinary experts and in line with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023.
MCD officials said they are identifying land at government animal husbandry facilities to build at least one shelter in each of the city’s 12 zones. A planned 2.5-acre facility in Dwarka Sector 29 is expected to house around 2,000 dogs, with tenders likely to be floated soon and work completed in five to six months.
The civic body also plans a step-wise process before any euthanasia decision. Dogs will be observed for about 10 days at ABC centres, and sedatives may be given for 10 to 14 days to check for improvement. A monitoring committee with MCD and Delhi government representatives is expected to be formed.
Officials noted that 1,01,394 dogs were sterilised between April 2025 and March 2026. They added that several ABC centres have closed and that CSR funding is being sought to speed up shelter projects.
