Stray Dogs Picked Up Must Be Released After Vaccination, Except Aggressive Or Rabies-Infected: Supreme Court Modifies Earlier Order

The Supreme Court today(August 22) stayed the direction passed by a two-judge bench on August 11 that stray dogs, which are picked up from the Delhi National Capital Region, must not be released.The Court opined that the "direction given in the order dated 11th August, 2025, prohibiting the release of the treated and vaccinated dogs seems to be too harsh." It noted that Rule 11(9) of the ABC Rules provided that once the stray dogs have been sterilised, inoculated, and dewormed, they have to be released back in the same locality from which they were picked upA three-judge bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice NV Anjaria clarified that the stray dogs, which are picked up, must be released back to the same area from where they were picked up, after sterilisation, deworming and immunisation, except those dogs which are infected with rabies, suspected to be infected with rabies or are exhibiting aggressive behaviour.The Court also ordered a prohibition on public feeding of stray dogs and directed the creation of dedicated feeding spaces.The Court reiterated the direction in the August 11 order that no individual or organisation should obstruct the Municipal authorities from picking up the dogs in terms of the ABC rules.The Court expanded the scope of the matter beyond Delhi-NCR and extended it pan-India. All States and UTs, Secretaries of Animal Husbandry department, Secretaries of local bodies, Municipal corporations were impleaded for the compliance of ABC Rules. The Court also said that it will transfer to itself the similar petitions pending in High Courts to the Supreme Court to formulate a national policy on the issue. Saying that a "holistic approach" requires modification of the order passed on August 11, Justice Nath read out the directions as follows :1. Municipal authorities shall continue to comply with the directions contained in paragraphs 12.1 and 12.2 of the August 11 order - which pertain to the creation of dog shelters and pounds.2. The directions contained in paragraph 12.3 and 12.4 to the extent they prohibit the release of the picked-up strays, shall be kept in abeyance for the time being. The dogs that are picked up shall be sterilised, dewormed, vaccinated, and released back to the same area from where they were picked up. It is however clarified that this relocation shall not apply to dogs infected with rabies or suspected to be infected with rabies or those that display aggressive behaviour. Such dogs shall be sterilised and immunised, but under no circumstances they shall be released back into the streets. Furthermore, as far as possible, such dogs shall be kept in separate shelters/pounds after sterilisation and immunisation.3. The directions contained in paragraph 12.5 (directions on keeping the dogs in shelters, adoption etc) remain subject to the directions contained above.4. The Municipal authorities shall forthwith commence the exercise of creating dedicated feeding spaces for stray dogs in each municipal ward. The feeding area shall be identified keeping in view with the population of stray dogs in the ward. Notice boards must be placed mentioning that stray dogs shall be fed only in such areas. Under no condition shall the feeding of stray dogs on the streets be permitted. The persons found feeding the dogs in contravention of this direction shall be liable to be proceeded with under the relevant framework. The aforesaid direction is being issued in the light of reports regarding untoward incidents caused by unregulated feeding of stray dogs and to ensure that the practice of feeding dogs on roads and in public places is eliminated, as the said practice creates great difficulties for the common man walking in the streets.5. Each Municipal authority shall create a dedicated helpline number for reporting violations of the above directions. On such reports being received, appropriate action must be taken against the NGOs or individuals concerned.6. No individual or organisation shall cause hindrance to the effective implementation of the directions given above. In case, any public servant is obstructed, the violators will be liable to face prosecution for obstruction of discharge of public duty.7. Each individual dog lover and each NGO who have approached this Court must deposit a sum of Rs 25,000 and Rs 2 lakhs, respectively with the Registry of this Court, failing which they shall not be allowed to appear in the matter any further. The amount deposited shall be utilised for the creation of infrastructure and facilities for the stray dogs under the aegis of the respective municipal bodies.8. The desirous animal lovers shall be free to move application to the concerned municipal bodies for the adoption of street dogs, upon which the identified selected dogs shall be tagged and given to the applicant. It shall be the responsibility of the applicants to ensure that the adopted dogs do not return to the streets.9. The Municipal authorities shall file ...

Stray Dogs Picked Up Must Be Released After Vaccination, Except Aggressive Or Rabies-Infected: Supreme Court Modifies Earlier Order

Gursimran Kaur Bakshi

The Court also prohibited the feeding of stray dogs on roads and in public places.

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