Delhi High Court says sterilisation is not the solution, seeks stray dog rehabilitation policy
On 6th August, the Delhi High Court stressed the urgent need to remove stray dogs from the streets and rehabilitate them in institutional shelters. The Court stated that measures must go beyond sterilisation and said that the ABC programme has failed in the National Capital despite being “touted for decades” as the solution.
Justice Mini Pushkarna was hearing a matter related to stray dog activist Pratima Devi, whose shanty was demolished by the MCD in 2023. Pratima Devi was providing food and shelter to around 200 stray dogs at that time, leading to massive outrage among animal lovers.
The Court observed that dogs are “the most loved animals of the world and a great friend of humans. It should be ensured that they are protected and treated with dignity”. She further highlighted the problem of the increasing number of stray dogs in the city by stating, “either dogs should be at home, or at a shelter. Not on roads eating garbage. Humans and dogs both are suffering. Neither humans are safe, nor dogs due to this.”
Sterilisation centres non-functional
The Court noted that the Delhi Government’s only proposal so far was sterilisation, which falls in line with the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023. However, the ABC centres in the city, as the Court observed, are non-functional and the objective behind them is not being met. The Court remarked, “Sterilisation isn’t working at all. It’s not the solution,” and brought the ABC Rules under scrutiny as they have failed to control the stray dog population in the country.
The Court also recorded in its order that 78 veterinary hospitals in Delhi are currently non-operational. During the hearing, it was revealed that around 200 dogs housed in a temporary shelter were to be released back onto the streets as the shelter was to be demolished by the MCD. It raised serious concerns, as more stray dogs mean a higher possibility of stray dog attacks and animal–human conflict.
Data shows thousands bitten in Delhi
As per data presented in the Lok Sabha, Delhi recorded 17,874 dog bite cases in 2023 and 25,210 dog bite cases in 2024. In January 2025 alone, the city saw 3,196 cases. There is a clear spike in stray dog bite cases in the National Capital. The figures underline the scale of the problem, with the High Court’s observations reinforcing that the current ABC framework is failing to control the menace.
The Supreme Court of India recently took suo motu congnisance of the stray dog menace in the country after a Times of India report highlighted death of a young girl child due to rabies.
OpIndia is doing a series on the stray dog menace in India which can be checked here.
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