After the heartbreaking death of a 6-year-old girl, Chhavi, the Supreme Court has adjudicated a controversial decision to ‘remove’ all stray dogs from the streets of Delhi-NCR localities, Ghaziabad, Noida and Gurugram. But what does the Supreme Court's decision on street dogs mean? Let’s try to unpack this Supreme Court’s latest controversial decision.
What prompted the Supreme Court’s latest decision on stray dogs?
On Monday, August 11, 2025, the Supreme Court issued an order mandating the seizure and placement in shelters of all strays in Delhi. This was a policy decision, but it was also a moment of justice for Chhavi's bereaved family, born of unfathomable tragedy. A stray dog attacked Chhavi, affectionately known as Bittu, on June 30, while she was heading to her aunt's home in Pooth Kalan, northwest Delhi. The family recalls that the dog entered without warning, causing her to bleed profusely on the threshold. Despite her being transported to Dr B.R. Ambedkar Hospital for anti-rabies therapy, her condition worsened midway through July. On July 21, the day she returned to school, she began vomiting, her muscles weakened, and she froze. After four days, she passed away just before her last scheduled dosage of vaccination.
Supreme Court’s latest decision on stray dogs, explained
There is considerable debate on the internet regarding the Supreme Court's decision to ban stray dogs in the Delhi-National Capital Region. It was ordered on Monday by the highest court in India that all stray dogs in Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, and Ghaziabad must be taken into shelters immediately; the animals must not be let back on the streets. The Resident Welfare Associates (RWAs) were happy with the ruling, but animal rights advocates said that local governments don't have what it takes to complete the "mammoth" job and that it would make tensions between people and dogs much worse. The Delhi administration has been ordered by the Supreme Court to begin collecting stray dogs from all areas, placing them in shelters, and prohibiting their release into the colonies, streets, or public spaces. The court mandates the preparation of shelters to accommodate approximately 5,000 dogs and the presence of sufficient staff for vaccination and sterilisation.
To boil it down, these establishments need to have:
- Sufficient personnel for immunisation and sterilisation
- Surveillance cameras to control the euthanasia of animals
- Expandability in the future
- A number that people may call to report dog bites
The authority to establish a special task force to execute the operation has also been granted. The court has issued a contempt of court for anyone trying to stop the initiative.
Is the Supreme Court’s decision on stray dogs in direct conflict with established laws?
Well, it just might be. India has a well-established legal structure for managing street dogs, and the court's ruling is a blatant breach of it. By the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) - ABC - Rules, 2023 provide a thorough legislative framework supported by research and recognised as a worldwide standard of excellence. Municipal authorities such as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi bear the responsibility of implementing systematic population control, as these guidelines mandate the use of the "Capture, Sterilise, Vaccinate, and Return (CSVR)" technique.
The removal or transfer of vaccinated and sterilised dogs from their territory is expressly forbidden under the ABC Rules. The mass, permanent removal order from the court does more than just deviate from this framework; it destroys it. The bench's rejection of the sterilisation-and-release approach as "absurd" ignores the mountain of scientific data showing that it works.
The internet’s heated debate on the latest moves on stray dogs
In a statement, Dr. Mini Aravindan, the Senior Director of Veterinary Affairs for PETA India, cast doubt on the efficacy of mass eradication. Her statement read, "Communities think of neighbourhood dogs as family, and the displacement and jailing of dogs is not scientific and has NEVER worked. Per a population survey conducted in 2022-23, Delhi has around 10 lakh community dogs, with less than half sterilised. Forced removal of some 10 lakh community dogs from Delhi's streets will cause uproar in communities that care deeply for them and chaos and suffering for the dogs on a large scale. It will also ultimately do nothing to curb the dog population, reduce rabies or prevent dog bite incidents.”
Jahnvi Kapoor and Varun Dhawan took to Instagram to share the same statement that has been going viral.
The statement read, "They call it a menace. We call it a heartbeat. Today, the Supreme Court says take every stray dog off the streets of Delhi-NCR and lock them away. No sunlight. No freedom. No familiar faces they greet every morning. But these aren't just stray dogs. They are the ones who wait outside your tea stall for a biscuit. They are the silent night guards for shopkeepers. They are the tails wagging when children return from school. They are the warmth in a cold, uncaring city.” The statement continued, "Yes, there are problems bites, safety concerns - but caging an entire community of animals is not a solution, it's an erasure. The real fix? Large-scale sterilisation programs, regular vaccination drives, community feeding zones, and adoption campaigns. Not punishment. Not imprisonment. A society that can't protect its voiceless is a society losing its soul. Today it's the dogs. Tomorrow... who will it be? Raise your voice. Because they don't have one."
Some have, amid the internet storm, asked about the condition and upkeep of the "dog shelters" that the authorities are mentioning. There were many who voiced their disapproval of the inadequate housing options, and a few who even questioned if there were enough shelters to help all of Delhi's strays. In response to the directive, a demonstration was held in the evening of August 11th in Delhi as well, with several activists, dog lovers, carers, and rescuers being apprehended by the police.
In contrast to popular belief, an ecosystem is more accurately described as a "community of living organisms" that relies on one another for their own and everyone else's continued existence. Supporters of stray dogs, who characterised the action as "impractical and cruel," mostly repeated a similar sentiment online. The next eight weeks will be a crucial reflection of our society’s conscience for these voiceless beings. Is such a harsh move just a reactionary decision to the rising cases of rabies and stray dog attacks in Delhi? We wait with bated breath and hope for a better future for our furry friends.