Delhi starts crackdown on stray dogs, 700 caught near Red Fort; dedicated helpline to start soon

MCD workers catch stray dogs near Red Fort as part of Delhi stray dog crackdown before Independence Day celebrations

The veterinary wing of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has begun a phase-wise crackdown on stray dogs following the orders from the Supreme Court of India to remove all dogs from the streets in a phased manner. The court, in its order on 11th August, directed the authorities to start removing dogs with 5,000 in the next eight weeks.

The action against stray dogs has started in Shahdara and Bhajanpura, with the focus on high-risk zones. Around 700 dogs have been removed from streets around the Red Fort area ahead of Independence Day. Officials said that the drive will expand to other parts of the city after 15th August.

Shelters and helpline planned

Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh confirmed that the work to identify unutilised community halls and other buildings for dog shelters in each zone has commenced. Until the shelters are operational, aggressive and diseased dogs will be shifted to existing sterilisation centre facilities. The authorities are also launching a dedicated helpline for stray dog complaints within two days as ordered by the apex court. As of now, residents can use the 311 app.

Notably, on 12th August, a high-level meeting chaired by MCD commissioner Ashwani Kumar discussed a detailed action plan. Another meeting was scheduled for 13th August. A sub-committee led by deputy standing committee chairman Sundar Singh is identifying priority areas, feeding points, and issues with ABC units. Members have directed that at least 1,000 dogs per zone have to be caught each month, starting with aggressive dogs.

Long-term solutions and public involvement

Former MCD veterinary director Ravinder Sharma suggested using available land in Tehkhand and Masoodpur, and even community halls in Dwarka, to build multistorey shelters. Unlike animal birth control centres, permanent shelters require larger kennel space.

While dog lovers are claiming Supreme Court orders are not in line with the laws in place, those who have suffered because of the uncontrolled stray dog population and dog bites are happy with the decision.

OpIndia is doing a series on Stray Dog Menace in India which can be checked here.

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