40 Dogs Allegedly Killed at Symbiosis Law College, Third Mass Culling Case in Telangana

The disappearance of 40 sterilised stray dogs from the Symbiosis Law College campus in Hyderabad has sparked outrage among students and animal rights groups, marking the third reported case of mass culling in Telangana in recent months. What began as an administrative request for the removal of strays has escalated into allegations of illegal killings, raising serious questions about how institutions and local authorities are handling the state’s stray dog crisis. 

Students Protest Missing Dogs 

Students allege that despite the dogs being sterilised, vaccinated, and non‑aggressive, they were taken away under the pretext of relocation to a shelter. “We were told they would be moved safely, but none of them can be traced now,” said one protester. 

A Pattern of Mass Culling 

This incident adds to a troubling pattern across Telangana. Reports earlier revealed that more than 800 dogs were killed in Hanumakonda, Kamareddy, and Jagityal districts, many allegedly through lethal injections ordered by local sarpanches. In Hanumakonda alone, 300 dogs were reported dead, while another 500 were said to have been culled in Kamareddy and Jagityal. 

Animal welfare activists argue these actions violate Supreme Court guidelines and Animal Birth Control (ABC) rules, which mandate sterilisation and vaccination rather than culling. 

College’s Stand 

In its January 9 letter, the Symbiosis campus administrator cited concerns about aggressive strays and referenced a Supreme Court order and UGC directive requiring removal of dogs from educational institutions by January 10. The administration requested the Panchayat to “trap and take appropriate action.”  Students, however, insist the dogs were not aggressive and were illegally taken away.

Supreme Court Context 

The controversy coincides with the Supreme Court’s ongoing suo motu hearings on stray dog management. Advocate Prashant Bhushan argued that sterilisation reduces aggressiveness but lamented the lack of effective sterilization programs in Indian cities, proposing an expert committee for transparency. 

Counsel for dog lovers pointed to international examples like the Netherlands and Bhutan, where sterilisation and vaccination programs have successfully managed stray populations. Justice Mehta questioned whether such models could be applied to India given its vast population. 

Senior advocate Raju Ramachandran, representing animal rights activists and a Union minister, emphasized that rabies control programs depend on strict implementation of ABC rules. 

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