The Supreme Court’s decision regarding the stray dogs in Delhi on 11th August has sparked immense public unrest and outrage. The SC ordered the government to round up all the stray dogs and put every one of them in shelters within eight weeks.
Stray animals and the problems that arise with them have always proved to be a cause of concern in India. With a rise in dog bite cases and deaths caused by rabies, the Supreme Court, on 11th August, took matters into its own hands and ordered the State of NCT of Delhi, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and the New Delhi Municipal Corporation to free the streets of stray dogs within eight weeks completely.
The Bench of Justice J B Pardiwala and R.Mahadevan gave their verdict on hearing the Suo Moto Writ Petition, on the reported dog bites and the number of children, infants, and aged people we have lost due to rabies, stating that this was a matter of larger public interest and some sort of immediate action was required to be taken.
They ordered the government to :
1. Immediately create dog shelters/ pounds and report to the SC about the creation of this infrastructure, and volunteers are to be assigned to these shelters.
2. Start picking up the stray dogs, especially from the vulnerable areas, and admit them to these shelters/pounds, and make sure that none of those dogs should be seen roaming on the street again.
3. To report and keep records of all the dogs kept in these dog shelters/pounds.
4. Create a helpline to report dog bite cases, and the authorities are to reach the site within four hours of receiving the complaint.
This decision of the Supreme Court has been met with immense outrage by all animal lovers and community caretakers of such dogs. The protests and marches have begun immediately, with petitions being signed to plead the apex court to reconsider this decision.
According to animal rights activists, this decision is not just detrimental to the dogs but is, in fact, illegal and goes against the Animal Birth Control laws that the Supreme Court itself has previously given. According to them, relocation of dogs is not the solution to the issue of dog bites. It is through regular vaccination and sterilization that this goal can be achieved.
In the end, the Supreme Court’s decision has been met by both relief and anguish, relief for those fearing the attacks and anguish for those who care for the strays. As Delhi-NCR navigates these orders, it will be a true challenge for them to ensure public safety while also providing safety and compassion to the voiceless.
