Police Detain Animal Activists Opposing Supreme Court Stray Dog Relocation Order in Delhi
Police detained several animal rights activists, rescuers, caregivers, and dog lovers on Monday who gathered at India Gate to protest the Supreme Court’s order to relocate all stray dogs in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) to shelters within eight weeks. The protesters argued that caring for stray animals is a public service and called the court’s decision “inhumane” and “unscientific”.
The Supreme Court bench, led by Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, ordered authorities to make every locality free of stray dogs, declaring no compromise on the issue. The order mandates that captured dogs must not be released back onto the streets. Additionally, anyone—whether individuals or organisations—attempting to obstruct the capture and relocation process will face contempt proceedings.
Animal activists and groups like PETA India criticized the order as “impractical and illogical,” pointing out the challenges of moving around 10 lakh (1 million) stray dogs into shelters when only half have been sterilised. Activists warned that shelters lack capacity and that such mass relocation could create chaos, worsen the lives of these animals, and disrupt communities that feed and care for them.
Protesters at the scene claimed that the threat of rabies and dog bites is exaggerated in the media and highlighted the importance of sterilisation and vaccination programs under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules. They urged authorities to focus on community-based solutions rather than displacement and to work with local feeders to keep both people and animals safe.
Delhi officials indicated they would comply with the court’s order and begin creating shelters equipped with facilities for sterilizing and immunizing the dogs. The Supreme Court also called on municipalities to set up hotlines and provide information on rabies vaccines for bite victims.
Some animal lovers and experts have labelled the blanket removal of stray dogs as “cruel,” while resident welfare groups welcomed the move in light of rising bite incidents. The debate continues, with activists seeking legal avenues to challenge the order and advocating for humane management of urban stray dog populations.
Source: ThePrint (ANI), Business Standard, Times of India, BBC, The Federal, Moneycontrol
