‘No Sentiments of…’: Supreme Court Orders To Make Delhi-NCR Stray Dog-Free, Asks Authorities to Sterilise and Shelter Strays

Supreme Court, on Monday, heard a suo motu case about rising incidents of rabies and fatalities caused by stray dog bites. Justice JB Pardiwala issued an order to the Delhi government, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and New Delhi Municipal Corporation to pick up the stray dogs from localities and shift them to a shelter, making the capital safe. Justice Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said all the localities must be made free of stray dogs.

"NCT Delhi, MCD, NMDC shall at earlier start picking up stray dogs from all localities from more particularly vulnerable localities and cities. How to do it is for the authorities to look into and if they have to create a force, do it at earlier. However, this should be the first and foremost exercise to make all localities free of stray dogs. There should not be any compromise in undertaking any exercise," the Bench said.

The bench further warned that if any individual or organisation tries to obstruct in picking up of stray dogs, then the court will take strict action against them.

Court orders to create dog shelters

The court further asked the State and municipal authorities to create a shelter for stray dogs within 8 weeks and to hire sufficient staff to sterilise the strays. "The dog shelters should have sufficient staff to sterilise and immunise. The dog shelter would be monitored by CCTV," the order said.

The Bench remarked that this decision is taken in the public's interest, so no sentiments of any nature should be involved. "Action should be taken at the earlier. Pick up dogs from all localities and shift them to far off places," the Bench remarked.

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