India’s Stray Dog Crisis Sparks Courtroom Clash and Debate

India is grappling with a pressing issue-a stray dog population that exceeds 62 million, leading to a severe public health toll.

During a suo motu hearing, a Supreme Court (SC) of India judge startled the Solicitor General and amicus curiae with a line from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966): “When you have to shoot, shoot. Don’t talk.” For animal welfare advocates, it felt like a warning shot—not at criminals, but at India’s street dogs.

The two-judge bench questioned the rule requiring sterilised dogs to be returned to their original localities, ordered all strays rounded up and moved to shelters (that do not exist), demanded immediate action over legal formalities, and asked pointedly, “Will animal lovers bring back children who died due to rabies?”

The Court warned that “so-called animal lovers obstructing removals would face contempt charges.” In the gallery, Gauri Maulekhi of People for Animals watched in disbelief as her counsel’s interventions were cut short.

When respected, street dogs become allies and guardians; when abused, they respond with fear and aggression, perpetuating conflict. India faces a choice between punitive crackdowns and humane, proactive management that protects both people and animals.

The Court’s combative tone and disregard for due process sparked nationwide uproar. Police crackdowns on peaceful protests further inflamed emotions, as celebrities and civil society leaders joined a growing movement against what many saw as the criminalisation of compassion.

The Chief Justice of the SC intervened in time, transferring the case to a new three-judge bench, which heard all sides on 14 August and reserved its verdict.

India faces a pressing problem: a stray dog population exceeding 62 million, resulting in a severe public health toll. In 2024 alone, there were 3.7 million animal bite cases and 54 confirmed rabies deaths—a nearly 70% rise since 2022.

Children under 15 accounted for 519,704 instances—20% of all victims. Chilling attacks underscore these numbers: a four-year-old in Hyderabad mauled on CCTV, a seven-month-old in Noida killed in a gated society, and multiple fatalities in Delhi, Telangana, and Rajasthan, including hospital premises. Such tragedies, even in supposedly safe spaces, have intensified demands for immediate and decisive action.

Public outrage has at times turned violent. In August 2025, a man in Rajasthan shot 25 dogs in two days, while a Karnataka legislator boasted of killing 2,800 dogs and being “ready to go to jail.” In Mumbai, a housing society hired bouncers to stop residents from feeding strays, prompting the Bombay High Court to protect feeders.

Judicial comments have also drawn criticism for lacking a scientific and ethical basis. The Delhi High Court claimed feeding strays makes them territorial, and a Kerala judge said human lives should take precedence. Such views ignore research showing that feeding with sterilisation and vaccination reduces aggression and stabilises populations, while the root causes lie in human neglect and poor waste management.

Legally, animals are protected under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, safeguarding caregivers from harassment. A 2022 amendment bill seeks stronger protections but remains pending. The SC’s National Capital Region (NCR) order, however, alters the impact of existing provisions and effectively nullifies aspects of the proposed amendment in the region.

The SC’s written order, in stark contrast to the aggressive tone of its hearing, offers a ray of hope. It replaces rhetoric with detailed operational measures, embedding public safety within a constitutional framework. The order mandates the complete removal of stray dogs from the NCR, links rabies control to public health services, and sets strict shelter standards.

Authorities must relocate all strays to shelters, suspending the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules 2023 “capture-and-release” clause. Dogs must be sterilised, vaccinated, and dewormed, with facilities for 5,000 animals ready in six to eight weeks, ensuring proper care, staffing, and CCTV oversight.

A helpline must be operational within a week, enabling pickups within four hours. Daily tracking, immediate medical aid for bite victims, public disclosure of vaccine stocks, and consideration of a dedicated animal-control force are also required.

Yet, feasibility remains in question. Maneka Gandhi, a leading animal rights activist and former environment minister, estimates Delhi alone would require $2 billion to establish such shelters, excluding costs for food, medicine, and sanitation. With no large-scale, functional shelter currently in place, developing the necessary infrastructure could take at least five years.

India’s problem is not policy gaps but weak enforcement. Strict application of the ABC Rules 2023—sterilisation, vaccination, and responsible feeding—can stabilise stray populations. Municipal bodies must partner with NGOs and trained feeders to ensure health monitoring, humane treatment, and rapid response. Scaling up sterilisation and vaccination through mobile clinics and sustained funding, as seen in Goa’s Mission Rabies, can eliminate rabies without mass confinement.

Hostility toward street dogs is unethical and ineffective. Humane, coordinated action—combining vaccination, sterilisation, trained community caretakers, and animal sensitivity education—is essential. Empowered NGOs and resident associations, supported with veterinary services and funding, can manage populations responsibly, ensuring safety, health, and harmonious co-existence between humans and animals.

Like abandoned children who flourish when nurtured, street dogs, too, thrive with care. Suresh and Hema, neighbours in Hyderabad, adopted two strays, feeding and treating them warmly. They grew healthy, resembling Labradors, while their littermates perished or became aggressive. Similarly, Parnasri cares for four strays—feeding, medicating, and educating dog-fearing neighbours. Now, these dogs are embraced by multiple households and protect homes from thieves.

The SC’s NCR order tackles public health but demands scrutiny on cost, feasibility, and ethics. Success lies in creating safer streets and dignified animal lives—balancing compassion with science and law to set a global example.

Hari Krishna Nibanupudi is an India-based animal rights advocate associated with multiple animal welfare organisations