The Supreme Court of India on August 11, 2025, issued a direction to put a full stop on the acute crisis of stray dog attacks in Delhi and the NCR region. The Apex Court said that the situation had become very grim and passed a direction to all civic bodies of Delhi and the NCR region to stem the menace of stray dog attacks, putting public safety as a priority.
Background & Legal Backdrop
Keeping in view the rising incidents of dog-bite cases and rabies-related deaths, especially among children and elderly people, the bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan took cognizance of the situation and passed the strict directive. This time, the Court was firm in tackling the situation arising out of increasing reports of stray dog attacks and rabies deaths.
Court’s Orders & Core Mandates
After expressing harsh words to so-called animal lovers, the court asked, “Will they be able to bring back those who have fallen to rabies?” The Supreme Court refused to entertain the plea for intervention applications and warned those who would obstruct in removal of the stray dogs. The Court issued the following directions, keeping the larger pubic interest in mind that –
- The Government of NCT of Delhi and all civic bodies of Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida & Gurugram to immediately make Dog Shelters within 8 weeks under intimation to the Court. A record of stray dogs being captured should also be maintained.
- All such shelters should have sufficient staff and facilities for immunization and sterilization of the dogs.
- These dogs should not be released back into the public spaces.
- All such shelters should be fully equipped with CCTV cameras for surveillance.
- A dedicated Quick Action Helpline should be launched within one week. Action should be taken to pick up the dog within 4 hours of the complaint.
- Stern action should be taken against individuals or organizations obstructing the removal of stray dogs.
- Availability of vaccines should be ensured, and information regarding stocks, etc., should be submitted before the court on the next date of hearing. www.ndtv.comLive Law
Justice Pardiwala, citing the gravity of the situation, remarked that “it’s not the time to talk but to act……”
Why Now
As per the data collected by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), more than 37 lakh cases of stray dog attacks and 54 confirmed cases of human deaths due to rabies were reported in the year 2024.
The Animal Welfare Board of India has, in the past, issued several advisories and guidelines to control the stray dog attacks and ensure the safety of children and elderly people. But rising reports of rabies-related deaths stemming from neglect and delay kindled this stern direction of the Apex Court. Recently, news of the death of a prominent Kabaddi player due to rabies also made headlines.
Legal History and Petitions
Today’s verdict of the Apex Court is at variance with its earlier rulings that municipal authorities should handle the situation under the Animal Birth Control Rules (ABC Rules, 2023) and emphasized the balance between animal welfare and human safety.
Even the High Court of Punjab and Haryana had rejected a PIL and ruled that stray dogs must be returned to their original spot after sterilization.
Conclusion
After the Supreme Court’s latest judgement, it is hoped that the ongoing tug-of-war between animal rights groups and public safety groups will settle forever. The verdict will set a precedent for other cities in India to address the problem of stray dog attacks and make civic bodies accountable for tragedies linked to dog bites and rabies. The Supreme Court also underlined that public safety requires more importance than animal rights and directed civic bodies to create robust infrastructure in this regard.