Dogs Day Out and a Stalemate
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The Supreme Court (SC), on 11 August 2025, ordered all stray dogs to be removed from the streets of Delhi, the national capital, and housed in dedicated shelters under the arrangement of the concerned authorities, within eight weeks.[1] The menace of stray dogs is present throughout the country, occasionally causing high-profile tragedies like the death of a tea magnate.[2] The SC ruling triggered heated debate and protest by animal activists. They declared the recommendations of the court impracticable as there are over 10 lakhs stray dogs in Delhi with non-existent shelters. They further stated that confining them in crowded makeshift shelters can precipitate zoonoses, including the deadly rabies. According to Maneka Gandhi, implementing the SC orders would need a colossal sum of Rs 15,000 crore.[1] Besides, she said, the vacuum effect can draw other animals like rats and monkeys. Gandhi instead recommended strict enforcement and close monitoring of Animal Birth Control Centres (ABCs).[3] In response to these concerns, the SC made a U-turn following discussions on the issue, with the court emphasizing the implementation of the existing Animal Birth Control Rules 2023.[3] The SC withdrew its directives and called for a national strategy on the problem. This flip-flop is the result of years of apathy. Lack of attention to the problem of stray dogs and other animals on our streets has resulted in this stalemate. The ABC program, which appears to be the consensus of all stakeholders, would also require huge resources such as veterinary surgeons, operating rooms, dog catchers, supporting staff, and vehicles. Compounding the issue, we have ridiculously conflicting statistics on rabies in the country. The WHO website states that there are 18,000 to 20,000 deaths from rabies annually in India.[4] On the other hand, Indian Government figures presented in the Lok Sabha range from 22 to 180 confirmed deaths and 1,079 to 4,885 presumptive cases annually.[5] We cannot wish away the problem. The ABC program should be implemented in letter and spirit, irrespective of the costs and resources involved. In addition, we have to have a reliable database on rabies cases and deaths, by initiating registries on digital platforms to generate real-time figures instead of gross estimates, which go widely off the mark. Data availability statement Not applicable. Author contribution AB was responsible for all stages of preparation of the manuscript, from concept, writing, revising, and final approval. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.
Author: Amitav Banerjee
Language: English
Topic: Animal Law and Welfare
Subfield: Law
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4415274459