New Delhi: On Thursday, the Supreme Court of India put off making a decision on an interim request to stop its August 11 order to remove all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR and put them in shelters. The three-judge bench, chaired by Justice Vikram Nath, said that the whole matter was caused by the “inaction” of local officials.
The two-judge panel that passed the decision on August 11 told officials to quickly and thoroughly round up all the stray canines in the National Capital Region and take them to designated dog shelters. The judge also said that these animals should not be let back out on the streets.
During the hearing on Thursday, the bench, which also included Justices Sandeep Mehta and N.V. Anjaria, made a strong point by saying, “The whole problem is because of the local authorities not doing anything.” The court also said that everyone participating in the case, including those who have filed petitions and interventions, will have to take responsibility for what is happening now.
Tushar Mehta, the Solicitor General for the Delhi government, talked about how serious the problem is by saying that there are more than 37 lakh dog attacks reported every year in India. He stressed that the problem had to be fixed, not fought over, and said, “Nobody hates animals.”
Kapil Sibal, a senior lawyer representing a dog rescue group, said that the problem is “very serious” and needs to be talked about more. He asked for a stay on the August 11 ruling that said stray canines were to be moved to shelters right away. Animal rights advocates have also voiced concerns over Sibal’s request, saying that the mandate may go against the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, which say that sterilized and vaccinated canines should be returned to their original areas.
The court started the suo motu case on July 28 after hearing reports in the news that stray dogs were biting people and spreading rabies, especially among children, in the national capital. The court’s harsh comments put the blame squarely on local government agencies for not doing a good job of controlling the stray dog population, which is a key point in the ongoing dispute over public safety vs animal welfare.