Fur and fury: Top court order for removal of stray dogs triggers backlash from PETA and others

India Today

3 days ago

The Supreme Court's recent directive to pick up all street dogs in Delhi-NCR, sterilise them, and keep them in shelters, without returning them to their original territories, has drawn sharp criticism from leading animal welfare organisations. In exclusive conversations with Indiatoday.in, multiple senior voices in the sector warned that the move could trigger chaos on the streets, undermine rabies control, and violate both Indian law and international best practices.advertisementDISPLACEMENT HAS NEVER WORKED: PETA INDIA'Communities think of neighbourhood dogs as family, and the displacement and jailing of dogs is not scientific and has NEVER worked,' said Dr Mini Aravindan, Senior Director of Veterinary Affairs, PETA India.Citing a 2022–23 population survey, Dr Aravindan pointed out that Delhi is home to around 10 lakh community dogs, with less than half sterilised. 'Forced removal of some 10 lakh community dogs from Delhi's streets will cause uproar in communities that care deeply for them and chaos and suffering for the dogs on a large scale,' she explained.
According to her, the displacement strategy will fail to control population or rabies and may instead worsen conflicts. 'It is unfeasible to build enough dog shelters, and displacing dogs causes fights over territory and problems like starvation. Ultimately, dogs make their way back into the same territories, especially when puppies continue to be born,' she said.PETA India stressed that India has had a sterilisation mandate for community dogs since 2001, a process that also includes rabies vaccination. 'Had the Delhi government implemented an effective sterilisation program, there would hardly be any dogs on the road today. It is not too late to start now. Instead of wasting resources on ineffective and inhumane drives, we need effective sterilisation, closure of illegal pet shops, and public encouragement to adopt dogs from shelters or the streets,' Dr Aravindan urged.THIS IS AGAINST SCIENCE, LAW, AND PUBLIC SAFETY: FIAPOCalling the order 'a shocking judgment,' Bharati Ramachandran, CEO of the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO), argued that the move runs contrary to WHO and World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) guidance, as well as India's Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023.'The proper and responsible response to tragedies like rabies deaths is a massive sterilisation and vaccination campaign. India has philanthropists who would gladly fund it. The problem is not money, it's the lack of political will,' she said.Ramachandran stressed that mass removal disrupts stable, vaccinated dog populations, causing a 'vacuum effect' where unvaccinated dogs quickly move in, increasing rabies risk. 'Mass dog vaccination is effective for controlling dog-mediated rabies. Removal does not reduce density or control rabies long term,' she said.advertisementShe also emphasised that shelters should be reserved for dogs who are sick, injured, or unable to survive on the streets. 'Healthy, vaccinated community dogs should remain in their home territories. This approach protects human and animal health, complies with Indian law, and upholds humane, science-based governance.'SHORT-TERM DISPLACEMENTS ONLY MAKE THINGS WORSE: HUMANE WORLD FOR ANIMALS INDIAAlokparna Sengupta, Managing Director of Humane World for Animals India, called the decision 'shortsighted and unscientific.''The order reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of human-dog conflict issues, rabies, and effective population control. Sustainable management of street dogs requires high-throughput implementation of ABC programs. Relocation and impounding not only shift the problem but exacerbate it,' Sengupta said.THE LEGAL AND OPERATIONAL CONFLICT"The Supreme Court's new order has got municipal bodies in a tough spot either they need to follow the court's latest instructions or stick to the ABC Rules, which are part of India's animal protection law. Building enough shelters for even a small part of Delhi NCR's stray dog population in just eight weeks is simply not possible," said Advocate Niharika Kashyap.She adds that it would cost huge amounts of money, need a lot of land, and, if rushed, could cause serious suffering to the dogs. This order forces authorities to choose between breaking the law or disobeying the court, and in the process, it goes against our constitutional duty to treat animals with compassion, envisaged in article 51(a)(g) of the Indian constitution.advertisementA DEBATE FAR FROM OVERWhile the court's intention stems from concerns over dog bite incidents and rabies fatalities, animal rights experts insist that science, law, and practical experience favour sterilisation and in-situ management.The coming weeks will be crucial, as state governments, municipal bodies, and animal welfare organisations navigate this legal and ethical impasse, all while Delhi's community dogs remain caught in the middle.- EndsTune InMust Watch