Gujarat High Court Suggests Area-Wise Sterilisation, Vaccination & Geo-Tagging Of Stray Dogs

The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday (August 4) orally suggested the State authorities to ensure that stray dogs are sterilized, vaccinated and geo tagged territory wise in a phased manner. 

The Court was hearing a suo motu PIL registered to monitor compliance with Supreme Court directions to remove dogs from the premises of educational institutions, hospitals, bus stands, railway stations, etc. One of the several directions was that High Courts are to register suo motu cases to monitor compliance with the directions. In the last hearing the high court had called for data in a compliance reporting format as per the apex court's directions. 

During the hearing today, Government Pleader (GP) GS Virk submitted before a division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice DN Ray that there were 23 Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres in 16 districts across the State. He further said that in Ahmedabad there were fully operational 2 ABC centres and 2 more were planned. 

The GP said that 29 additional ABC centres were proposed across the State. Further 81 veterinary professionals were employed in these centres which are centre points for multiple activities including sterilisation and vaccination for dogs. He said that there 181 paramedic staff was well. 

He further submitted that total of 36,132 stray dogs had been sterilised in the past 180 days. The court asked whether any record of sterilised stray dogs is kept, to which GP said that the dogs are geo-tagged, marked with a bar code and thereafter released.

He further submitted that around 44,483 stray dogs had been vaccinated in the last six months. He further said that every primary health centre and civil hospital also has corresponding human vaccination to treat dog bites. 

On the court's query as to the number of dogs were left for sterilisation and vaccination, the GP said that the figure was unfortunately not available. 

At this stage the court orally said that sterilisation of stray dogs can be territory/zone/area wise, which should be the first step. 

"Any of these officers or officers of corporation who are managing ABC centres, if they monitor dogs territory wise and identify them, can give pseudo names to them and then go territory wise. You make sure that in one territory all dogs are sterilised. The first step should be this. If all are sterilised which means you are controlling the population. If you sterilise all dogs in that territory then that is contained...with new technology you can watch dogs behaviour. You will know whether dog is calm, quiet and happy dog. If it is so then you can leave him in the same territory. He will be surviving but not be increasing the population," the court orally said. 

The court further orally said that if a dog is picked for sterilisation and not put back in the same territory from where he was picked up then "it automatically makes him into an aggressive dog". 

The court orally suggested that a team can be created for this process wherein Ahmedabad can be the pilot project. The GP said that he will see to it that area wise achievement of targets takes place adding that he will report about the same to the court. 

The GP further said that every district in the State must have an ABC centre and as per his understanding the establishment of centres was being hastened. He further said that recently in Ahmedabad four citizens had adopted Indie dogs from an ABC centre. 

To this the court said, "They are the most enduring dogs and very easy to handle with". 

Meanwhile the court also suggested that stray dogs found in premises of Institutions also have to be identified. 

"We have to make sure that all are sterilised in phased manner. When they are sterilised they are vaccinated–both anti rabies and 9-in-1 (vaccine). As far as possible they are rehabilitated and released in same territory so that there are no problems for other dogs...If you watch them for 20 days you can understand their behaviour. Sterilisation, vaccination and geotagging happens together," the court orally said. 

It further said that there was a need for ensuring waste management of every institute. In fact, referring to the high court premises the court orally said that measures had been taken to ensure that waste is tackled in the premises. 

"Throwing of waste, specially food waste is an issue. For high court we have been able to do for some extent. If you see any wet waste lying in the premises please intimate us. Take a photograph and send it to Asst. Registrar (inspection) or Registrar General. If you all cooperate we will be able to improve. We will take care of it immediately," the court added. 

With regard to institutional dogs, the court orally suggested, that if possible, the dogs therein can be given a collar; it said that if they are collared the institute would know that this dog lives in the institute. The GP said that he will report back on the suggestion. 

After hearing the matter for some time the court adjourned the plea. 

Case title: SUO MOTO v/s STATE OF GUJARAT

WPPIL/28/2026