India’s Supreme Court revised its stray dog policy on Friday, ordering that dogs picked up from streets in and around Delhi be released after sterilisation and immunisation, following widespread protests from animal lovers.
Earlier this month, the court had ruled that all stray dogs in Delhi and its suburbs be moved to shelters in response to a rise in dog bites and rabies cases. Critics argued that the order was impractical due to the insufficient number of shelters, prompting protests, online petitions, and criticism from politicians and celebrities. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi described the original ruling as a “step back from decades of humane, science-backed policy.”
Under the revised order, dogs collected in recent weeks will be returned to their areas after sterilisation and immunisation, except those showing aggressive behaviour or signs of rabies. Former federal minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi welcomed the “scientific decision” but noted that the definition of “aggressive dog” remains unclear.
India reportedly has 52.5 million stray dogs, with 8 million in shelters and about 1 million in Delhi alone. In January, the government recorded nearly 430,000 dog bite cases nationwide.
To regulate public feeding of stray dogs, the court also directed the creation of designated feeding zones. A three-judge bench indicated that it would expand the case nationwide and develop a uniform policy for all stray dogs. PETA India thanked the court for the decision and encouraged the public to adopt dogs and support sterilisation initiatives.
