The Supreme Court (SC) of India recently revised its prior order that mandated the permanent removal of stray dogs from the streets of New Delhi. The new directive allows sterilised and vaccinated stray dogs to be returned to their original neighbourhoods, except for aggressive or rabid animals. The Apex Court also prohibited feeding stray dogs in public, ordered the creation of designated feeding zones and directed that all such matters pending before High Courts (of various Indian Provinces) be transferred to the Supreme Court for a final national policy.

Earlier, the SC had ordered that residential areas in the National Capital Region (NCR) be made free of stray dogs within eight weeks, triggering nation-wide protests. Protesters marched through prominent areas of major Indian cities, demanding the withdrawal of the order. Slogans, such as “Awaara nahi, hamara hai” (They are not strays, they are ours) and “Jeev hai toh jeevan hai” (If there is life, there is living), echoed through the streets, as demonstrators pressed for justice and humane treatment of street dogs.

The revised order is aligned with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, as well as the existing Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023. Although the SC has allowed the sterilisation, vaccination and subsequent release of non-aggressive, healthy stray dogs back into their original areas, it has prohibited the public feeding of them, directing the establishment of designated feeding areas in public places.

With due respect and confidence in the judgment of the Indian judiciary, it can be said that while the new ruling moves away from the strictures of strict segregation, the practical application of this order may still be quite difficult. There is no doubt that India accounts for nearly one-third of the world’s rabies deaths mainly because of the administration’s long-standing failure to address the issue of stray dogs and it is a serious matter. However, it is not appropriate to punish dogs for this problem. It is also difficult to justify the intention of a section of people to occupy all the space.

On August 21, 2025, The Hindu daily reported that New Delhi’s reliance on mass removals of dogs was short-sighted and did not offer solutions to tackle the root cause, which is rabies rather than dogs. Evidence from other parts of India shows that targeted canine vaccination, combined with sterilisation, public education and effective waste management is both feasible and highly cost-effective. Reducing the number of dogs shall also reduce competition among them for food and mates, malnutrition, disease and human-animal conflict. Only aggressive and sick dogs should be brought to shelters and humanely monitored.

People’s opinions about dogs have always been divided in the South Asian nation. While some consider the care of stray animals a duty aligns with ethical principles, others see stray dogs as a nuisance. It may be noted that Article 51A(g) of the Indian Constitution mandates citizens to show compassion to living creatures, which extends to animal feeders. In such a scenario, the SC order on feeding dogs on the streets will only intensify the conflict between these two groups.

It would be better to find solutions to this problem within the scope of society, instead of court orders. Those who do not like stray dogs should understand that people cannot have rights to occupy all the space. At the same time, animal lovers would have to admit that feeding animals in public places without taking responsibility for their health and behaviour is not compassion, but a sign of irresponsibility. The nature of the current debate over stray dogs shows how far the Indian society has forgotten the natural, healthy process of finding solutions through discussions at a social level. The scenario actually points to a serious lack of mutual trust within the society. In history, one can find numerous examples of where a lack of social trust ultimately leads.

Interestingly, the relationship between dogs and humans in the Indus Valley Civilisation was one of significant domestication and companionship, as evidenced by archaeological finds, like collared dog figurines, dog bones found in settlements and the remarkable discovery of a dog buried with a human at Ropar. These findings suggest dogs were highly valued for both companionship and protection, indicating a close and respectful bond between humans and their canine companions in Ancient India.

New Delhi has frequently been named the world’s most polluted capital city, placing it at the top of global rankings alongside other Indian cities. The administration does not seem to be concerned about finding a permanent solution to this problem. However, intense hatred and inhumanity towards stray dogs continues to grow in Indian society. Perhaps, the Indian Government and Judiciary would try to make roads, sky and air of New Delhi pollution-free by eliminating cats, birds and other animals in future.

Human beings are the smartest creatures who have conquered the world. It doesn’t mean that animals and plants have no value in this world. Maneka Gandhi, the former Indian Minister of Women and Child Development, Animal Rights activist and Environmentalist, has rightly said that about 0.3 million dogs would potentially migrate to New Delhi within 48 hours, warning that removing stray dogs would lead to a surge in their numbers from nearby cities, like Ghaziabad and Faridabad, due to the availability of food. She also drew a historical parallel to 1880s Paris, where the removal of dogs resulted in an increase in the number of rats, highlighting the role of dogs as rodent control animals. Removing dogs may also increase the monkey-related problem because dogs can act as a deterrent, keeping monkeys from descending from trees and scavenging in urban areas. If dogs are removed, this natural barrier will disappear, potentially leading to an influx of new, unsterilised monkeys, with increased competition for food, exacerbating the problem.

Incidentally, a number of countries, such as Austria, Switzerland, Kenya, Tanzania, etc., have strict laws to prevent cruelty to animals and to protect them from unnecessary pain or suffering. The European Union (EU), too, has strict rules for the non-commercial movement of pet animals, primarily to prevent the spread of diseases, like rabies. Key requirements include microchipping, valid rabies vaccination and travel with an EU Pet Passport or an animal health certificate (for travel from outside the EU). These rules and regulations are in place mainly to ensure the hygiene, as well as safety, of animals. In many countries, cruelty to animals is considered a serious crime with severe penalties, such as fines, imprisonment, probation and bans on future pet ownership.

The issue needs to be considered from a humanitarian perspective so that others also have a right to live free from human-inflicted suffering and exploitation. Their basic interests deserve moral consideration.

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das