Supreme Court's Order To Remove All Stray Dogs Triggers Heated Debate Online

The Supreme Court's order to remove all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR localities has triggered a heated debate online. On Monday, the top court directed the Delhi government and civic bodies in Gurugram, Noida, and Ghaziabad to begin the immediate removal of stray dogs from all localities and house them in shelters, stating that the animals must not be returned to the streets. While the Resident Welfare Associates (RWAs) welcomed this order, animal activists argued that civic bodies lack the land and funds to carry out the "mammoth" task and warned it could worsen human-dog conflict. 

Reacting to the order, one user wrote, "Dear stray dog lovers, If you are this upset with the SC decision to take the strays off the road, please take a few into your homes and give the dogs a loving home. Shell out for their vaccinations, training and treatment. Put your money where your mouth is. Feeding stray dogs stale chapatis from your home does NOT make you an animal activist!" 

"No one should have to risk the life of their three year old child because someone somewhere is compassionate about stray dogs. It's that simple," commented another. 

"If you're unaware of the stray dog situation in Delhi NCR, ask those who work night shifts. I'm a dog lover myself, but this stray dog menace needs to stop. I SUPPORT SC's DECISION," wrote a third user. 

However, one user said, "Here's the fundamental problem with Supreme Court's verdict on stray dogs: Humanity's place at the top of the food chain is by sheer luck. We can't claim superiority, and no guarantee we'll hold it forever. Yet we use our privilege to justify exterminating other species. The Supreme Court's order on #straydogs not only lacks empathy but shows an ignorance of basic evolutionary biology." 

"If you've never loved a stray dog, you've missed the purest love there is and that loss is yours alone. This judgment doesn't just break laws, it breaks compassion. It violates the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, overrides animal welfare laws, and tramples the duties our Constitution asks of us. We owe our strays better," commented another. 

"The Supreme Court order on stray dogs in Delhi is nothing but a death sentence for every single stray on every single street in the national capital - and each one of us needs to raise our voice against it," wrote one user. 

"Let's hope this is done with compassion, proper facilities, and a focus on their well-being, so every wagging tail finds comfort instead of fear," one user said. 

Also Read | PETA's Sharp Reaction After Supreme Court's 'Remove All Stray Dogs' Order

Under the directions, the civic authorities in the Delhi NCR region have been ordered to create shelter capacity for at least 5,000 dogs within six to eight weeks. These facilities must be staffed with sufficient personnel for sterilisation and vaccination, equipped with CCTV monitoring to prevent any release, and designed to scale up in the future. The civic authorities have also been instructed to start a helpline for reporting dog bite cases. "Round up all stray dogs from all localities, whether sterilised or unsterilised," the court said.

The court said civic authorities can decide how they carry out this task and that they can form a dedicated force if needed. Anyone blocking the exercise would face action for contempt of court, it warned.