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'Problem of stray dogs due to 'inaction' of local authorities': SC reserves order

New Delhi, Aug 14 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Thursday said the "whole problem" relating to stray dogs in Delhi-NCR was a result of "inaction" on the part of local authorities which did "nothing". The new bench, which was constituted to adjudicate the suo motu matter of stray dogs post a verdict by a different bench ordering their relocation from streets to shelters, comprises Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria. The three-judge bench heard senior advocate Kapil Sibal, among others, and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta before reserving its verdict on the interim prayer for a stay on the August 11 decision of the different bench. It was a bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan which asked authorities in Delhi-NCR on August 11 to start relocating all stray dogs from streets to shelters. The bench had asked the authorities to initially start by creating a shelter to house 5,000 dogs. The three-judge bench, however, on Thursday remarked, "The whole problem is because of inaction of the local authorities. You frame rules in Parliament. The government acts, rules are framed but no implementation is carried out creating problem which is standing today." The top court continued, "On the one hand, humans are suffering and on the other hand, the animal lovers want the animals also to be treated with dignity." The bench observed the Animal Welfare Board of India, local authorities and the government did nothing. "NGOs make a lot of noise but they don't know what they should actually be doing. They should have been here earlier for implementation of those rules (Animal Birth Control Rules). Nothing is happening," it added. Everyone, the court said, who came before the court and filed intervention would have to own responsibility. Mehta referred to data of dog bites in the country and said it was an issue to be resolved, not a matter to be contested. "Children are dying," he said, "please bear in mind a vocal minority view as against a silent suffering majority view". Referring to data, he said in 2024, India reported around 37.15 lakh dog bites cases which is nearly 10,000 per day. "Nobody is an animal hater. Out of 100 species of snakes, only four are poisonous but we don't keep them in our house. Nobody says dogs are required to be killed. They have to be separated from the humans habitations," Mehta added. He said the apex court would have to find a solution to the "menace of stray dogs". Aside from Sibal, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi also sought stay on some of the directions passed by the apex court in its August 11 order. Appearing for an NGO, Sibal asked why civic bodies hadn't sterilised dogs and built adequate shelters for them. "The community feeds them. Now you say because the community is feeding them, take them out and put them in pounds or shelters. There are no shelters in place," he said. Sibal further claimed 700 hundred odd dogs being picked up and said, "Where they are, God alone knows." The senior lawyer called the situation "very serious" and sought the matter to be argued in depth. "Please tell us the part (of the order) which is offending. This matter has been listed today on an urgent mentioning before the chief justice and for constituting a special bench. So we are here," the bench said. Referring to some of the directions, including the one asking the authorities in Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Faridabad, Gurugram to start picking up and rounding the stray dogs from all localities and relocate them into designated shelters or pounds, Sibal sought the same to be stayed. Singhvi said, "What has happened is that with the best of intentions, all the directions here really put the cart before the horse." Referring to data given in Parliament earlier, he said there were zero rabies deaths in Delhi from 2022 to 2025. "But to try and create a horror situation that people left, right and centre are dying from rabies, at least the government should look at its own figures by its own minister on the floor of the House a few weeks ago," Singhvi added. He expressed concerns over society and children. Referring to top court's six orders in matters relating to dogs, Singhvi said they did not say start picking up stray dogs. Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra said the August 11 order had paved way for high courts to start passing similar directions. The bench asked another counsel appearing for the Delhi government about its stand regarding compliance of the Animal Birth Control Rules and other enactments. Widespread protests across the country were reported following the August 11 order. PTI ABA ABA AMK AMK

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