The Supreme Court has revised its August 11 direction on removing stray dogs from the streets and keeping them permanently in shelters. On Friday, the court said stray dogs can be released back to their local areas after sterilisation, except in cases where the dogs show aggressive behaviour or are infected with rabies.
The court also ruled that feeding stray dogs in public places will not be allowed. Instead, dedicated feeding zones will be set up in each municipal ward.
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A three-judge bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria not only reviewed its previous order but also expanded the scope of the matter. All similar cases pending in high courts will now be transferred to the Supreme Court, which plans to frame a final national policy on the issue.
5 things that Supreme Court said:
- Stray dogs to be vaccinated, released in the same area they were picked up from. Aggressive dogs, dogs with rabies to not be released
- Stray dogs cannot be fed on the roads. Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to create designated feeding space for stray dogs
- Persons found feeding stray dogs on streets shall be liable to be proceeded with under relevant legal framework
- Notice boards shall be placed near designated feeding areas mentioning that stray dogs shall only be fed in such areas
- Feeding areas shall be created by civic bodies keeping in view population, concentration of stray dogs in particular municipal ward
The earlier SC order, which aimed to make the streets of Delhi-NCR free of stray dogs by rounding them up and keeping them in shelters, had sparked mixed reactions from residents and animal lovers alike. While many residents welcomed it, several activists and celebrities opposed the move, calling it unfair to the animals.
I welcome the Supreme Court’s revised directions on stray dogs, as it marks a progressive step toward balancing animal welfare and public safety. The approach is both compassionate and rooted in scientific reasoning.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 22, 2025
With this new order, the court said the Animal Birth Control (ABC) rules must be followed. Under these rules, stray dogs are to be sterilised, dewormed, vaccinated, and then sent back to the same locality. Only dogs that are aggressive or have rabies will not be released.
“Municipal authorities shall comply with para 12, 12.1 and 12.2, prohibition on release of strays shall be stayed. They shall be dewormed, vaccinated, etc, and sent back to the same area. Those dogs with aggressive behaviour or with rabies shall be immunized and not released,” said Justice Nath.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will work “with full strength” to implement the Supreme Court’s directions on stray dogs in the national capital region, Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh said on Friday.
“We welcome the Supreme Court’s decision and will implement it 100 per cent. The MCD will work on this order with full strength,” Singh said, adding everybody wants aggressive dogs to be treated.
“Dogs are dear to all of us, but the public should not face any problem,” he stressed.
Animal rights groups have welcomed the decision. PETA India thanked the court, saying “every dog has her day,” while former Union Minister and animal activist Maneka Gandhi praised the move but urged the court to clearly define what counts as aggressive behaviour in dogs.
“On behalf of the community dogs we serve, we thank the three-judge bench for its decision,” animal rights group PETA India said on Friday, urging people to adopt dogs and support sterilisation efforts.
Animal lovers broke into celebrations at Jantar Mantar on Friday after the Supreme Court modified its earlier order on the relocation of stray dogs in Delhi-NCR.
Rahul Gandhi welcomed SC order on stray dogs, calls it ‘progressive step’.
“I welcome the Supreme Court’s revised directions on stray dogs, as it marks a progressive step toward balancing animal welfare and public safety. The approach is both compassionate and rooted in scientific reasoning,” Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X.
Sonali Gaba, who runs a dog shelter, hailed the apex court’s order. “We had faith that the SC would rule in our favour. You can’t say that any and every dog is aggressive; there should be proof. We are happy with the SC order. We are happy that the court has ruled on creating designated feeding areas for dogs. If they (dogs) are aggressive, then we will keep them in confinement. We will see their behaviour, if it does not have rabies, they do not have any problem, then they should be released after vaccinating them,” Gaba told ANI.
In Okhla, some residents voiced disappointment over the revised Supreme Court order, saying the earlier directive was more effective in keeping the streets safe. When The OT shared news about the previous order, many locals supported it, pointing to a sharp rise in stray dog bite cases across the locality.
However, residents welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to ban feeding stray dogs in public places. Javed Ali Khan, a local resident, said: “The real issue in Jamia Nagar is that stray dogs are thriving because meat sellers regularly dump waste, which these dogs feed on as scavengers. This has led to their numbers multiplying in the area. It is hoped that the new order will stop them to do so.”
In April, government data revealed that nearly 430,000 cases of dog bites were reported across India in January alone, compared to a staggering 3.7 million cases in the entire year of 2024.
According to a survey by Mars Petcare, India is home to 52.5 million stray dogs, with around 8 million sheltered in various facilities. Media reports estimate that Delhi alone has nearly 1 million stray dogs, although The OT could not independently verify this figure.
