New Delhi, August 22 – The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that stray dogs cannot be fed on streets, directing municipal authorities in Delhi-NCR to set up designated feeding zones instead. The order was passed by a special three-judge bench led by Justice Vikram Nath, with Justices Sandeep Mehta and N.V. Anjaria also on the panel.
The court instructed that feeding areas be identified in each municipal ward, taking into account the local stray dog population and density. It further ordered that notice boards be installed near the designated feeding sites, clearly stating that the area is meant for feeding stray dogs. Legal action will be taken against individuals found feeding dogs on streets in violation of these directives.
As per agency report, the order comes in response to increasing reports of unpleasant incidents arising from the unregulated feeding of stray dogs, which the court observed was causing difficulties for the public. Each municipal authority has been directed to establish a helpline for reporting violations, and complaints received through the helpline must be acted upon promptly.
The bench also modified its earlier order of August 11, which had imposed a ban on releasing stray dogs from shelters. It clarified that captured dogs must undergo sterilisation, deworming, and vaccination before being released back into the same area from where they were taken. However, this will not apply to rabies-infected dogs or those suspected of aggressive behaviour.
The Supreme Court reiterated that civic bodies in Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Faridabad, and Gurugram must continue removing stray dogs from public areas and ensure their proper care. The court emphasised that the problems arising from stray dogs in Delhi-NCR are largely the result of municipal inaction in implementing animal birth control rules.
The matter originated from a suo motu case taken up on July 28 following media reports of rising rabies cases, particularly among children, due to dog bites in the national capital. The earlier order of August 11 had sparked widespread protests across the country, leading to the matter being referred to the three-judge bench for review.
