Latest news with #ABC)Rules
The Print
an hour ago
- Politics
- The Print
Stray dogs have the right to live. SC order can trigger a wave of animal cruelty
The order contradicts the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, which lay out norms for sterilisation of dogs living on the streets. What happens to those rules if the dogs are taken off the streets? What will be the job of the Animal Welfare Board of India now? The court's blanket order to shift all stray dogs to shelters makes one wonder: Is this a knee-jerk reaction like so many others in the past? Because if you look at ground reality, there is no way it can be enforced. The only thing this will do, and already has, is embolden certain sections of society to use it as an endorsement to treat stray dogs even more cruelly than they always have. In one fell swoop, the Supreme Court has taken what was the one and only real right Delhi-NCR's stray dogs had — the right to live on the streets. The Supreme Court's anger is valid. After all, it has to address the issue of dog bites, the safety of the people is at stake. But it is taking out its fury on the wrong (furry) animal. Pardon the pun, I could not resist. Stray dogs are not at fault. Rounding them up and stuffing them in shelters is not the solution. It's like picking up all the clothes strewn in your room and stuffing them in your cupboard so the mess isn't visible. Why should they suffer when they can do nothing but simply exist and survive in a world dominated by a species that thinks it has some divine right over every inch of this planet? A flawed plan The human-stray dog conflict has reached its boiling point and finally gotten colossally out of hand solely because successive governments have failed spectacularly to control the growing canine population with a robust sterilisation programme. They have failed to create safe feeding spots to minimise human-stray dog conflict, and vaccinate stray dogs on a war footing, at a pace that can keep up with the population rate. Did you know that an Indian stray dog can have up to 6-9 puppies each pregnancy, and gives birth 2-3 times a year? There are around 10 lakh stray dogs in Delhi alone, and this year, until July, only around 65,000 were sterilised and vaccinated, according to Municipal Corporation of Delhi data. You can do the math to gauge the problem. Alright, let's try to play the devil's advocate and look at the Supreme Court's order. Building shelters to house all stray dogs possibly for years to come — oh great! At least they won't have to starve on the streets — would essentially also entail keeping them alive? That would mean trained staff available 24/7, daily meals, regular cleaning and disinfecting, and veterinary care for when they fall ill? Do the NCR governments have the resources and funds to do this indefinitely? When the civic body has only made a little more than a dent through its Animal Birth Control drive — with NGOs who carry it out constantly complaining about poor infrastructure and fund crunch — how will it sustain these many shelters? A big number will be needed to house all the dogs on the streets. Heck, if the civic body had those kinds of funds at its disposal, it would do a way better job at other things too, like keeping the city clean and ensuring enough streetlights for women's safety. The point of women's safety reminds me of a question a dog lover-friend of mine asked me today. According to Delhi Police data, a total of 1,18,822 cases that include rape and POCSO (a law that protects children from sexual offences) were registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the first half of 2025. If children are to be protected from dog bites, they should be protected from sexual predators too. Will the Supreme Court pass an order to round up all the men in Delhi and put them in pounds? Back to the point of shelters again. If lakhs of unsterilised dogs are stuffed in the same confined space, what stops them from reproducing there too? Where is the space to earmark large swathes of land that will be needed to build these shelters? Closed spaces won't do, because dogs can suffer from several infectious diseases (only among them) like distemper, parvo, and tick fever, which spread like wildfire. If the top court has taken this decision after having mulled over this, it has essentially, knowingly, signed a death warrant for these innocent creatures. Also read: I hated dogs but adopted one. I didn't know it then, but I was the one being rescued The right to live It doesn't take a genius to guess that the court has given the government barely any time to enforce its order. Eight weeks! This limited time window will lead to a hurried exercise to brush a decades-old issue under the rug. And it won't be pretty. Who will guarantee that all dogs will be safely picked up, without any injuries? Even before the court order, several dogs picked up for sterilisation have returned with an infection, or with surgery sutures coming undone. But all these arguments fall flat in front of the biggest counter to the Supreme Court's order. One that goes above all these worldly arguments. Stray dogs have the right to live, and the streets are their home. For generations, they have adapted to roaming free, foraging for food, and being in constant survival mode as they navigate congested localities bustling with people and vehicles. If you confine them, then you are endangering their safety and well-being because stray dogs lead a hard life and therefore can be extremely territorial and attack each other if they sense they need to compete for resources. Possibly the worst consequence of this order will be people using it as an excuse to get dogs picked up and dumped anywhere. They have already been doing it, and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 has been useless in stopping this. Now all they will do is whip out their phone and show you a WhatsApp forward on the top court order. Now that we have looked at some of the logical loopholes, there is one last thing to talk about. For decades, courts have stressed that the human-stray dog conflict has to be solved through a balanced approach that ensures the protection of people as well as compassion toward animals. Suddenly, the compassion seems to have gone for a toss. It is indeed a black day for those who have known the love of a stray dog. Ask the people who roam the streets every night to feed dogs so they don't starve to death. Ask the rescue organisations that put in their blood, sweat, and savings to save a dog beaten half to death by a drunkard roaming the streets. Ask that mohalle wali college student who has christened every stray dog in her locality with names like 'Kalu', 'Oreo', and 'Tuffy', and places bori beds in every bylane on chilly winter nights. Ask that other rescuer who spends every weekend catching stray dogs and taking them for sterilisation, because as much as she loves puppies, she doesn't want more of them to be born in this cruel world. Justice can never be lopsided. Even if the other side cannot speak. Stray dogs have lost their most powerful ally — the courts. (Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Explained: How govt, courts have dealt with stray dogs
The Supreme Court on Monday directed municipal authorities to pick up and house all stray dogs in Delhi and parts of the National Capital Region in dedicated shelters within eight weeks. The directions were given in a case the top court took up suo motu on July 28 after a 'very disturbing and alarming' newspaper report about the death of a six-year old girl due to rabies. 'Infants and young children, at any cost, should not fall prey to rabies…The action should inspire confidence that they [children] can move freely without fear of being bitten by stray dogs,' Justice J B Pardiwala said. 'If any individual or organisation comes in the way of picking up stray dogs or rounding them up, we will proceed to take action,' he said. In 2022, the apex court had upheld a Delhi High Court judgment which said that strays must be tended to and fed within their territories. A provision in the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, which Justice Pardiwala called 'absurd', states that after immunisation and sterilisation, strays 'shall be released at the same place or locality from where they were captured'. Stated government policy The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, which aims to prevent 'the infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering on animals', is the primary animal rights legislation in India. Under the Act, the Centre in 2001 promulgated the ABC (Dogs) Rules. These rules mandated the sterilisation and immunisation of strays by local authorities supported by animal welfare organisations and private individuals. Humane methods were specified for capturing dogs. Notably, the rules mandated that dogs be released back into the same area or locality from where they were captured after undergoing sterilisation and immunisation. Euthanisation was only permitted if dogs were critically ill, fatally injured, or rabid. The government has often reiterated its policy of managing stray dog populations through sterilisation and immunisation. In 2022, the Animal Welfare Board of India, a statutory body formed by the 1960 Act, issued an advisory which said that 'all the RWAs and Citizens of India are requested not to take any kind of adverse action against the feeders of dogs, nor to relocate or resort to poisoning of dogs or other atrocities which is against the law of the land.' In 2023, the Centre updated the 2001 ABC rules. The 2023 rules were more expansive in their scope to also cover stray cats, and created a three-tiered monitoring structure for immunisation and sterilisation of animals. Maintaining that stray dogs cannot be displaced, the ABC rules reclassified them as 'community animals', and included provisions for community animal feeding. In April this year, S P Singh Baghel, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying gave a written response in Lok Sabha that stated that 'the intensive implementation of the ABC program by local bodies is the only rational and scientific solution to the overpopulation of the street dogs and controlling incidence of rabies'. What courts have held A government press release on the 2023 rules stated that they 'have addressed the guidelines of the Hon'ble Supreme Court' that has 'in various orders specifically mentioned that relocation of dogs cannot be permitted'. Over the years, HCs and the SC have heard several cases, brought by concerned dog lovers or anti-stray residents welfare associations or citizen groups, on human-canine conflict. HCs have given conflicting orders in these cases. In 2011, the Kerala HC held that local authorities 'cannot kill the stray dogs' and 'are bound to follow the 1960 Act and the 2001 (ABC) Rules'. On the other hand, the Bombay, Himachal Pradesh, and Karnataka HCs have separately held that local authorities are not bound by the 2001 rules and have discretionary powers under municipal regulations to kill stray dogs. The apex court, while hearing appeals against High Court decisions or independent writ petitions, has usually not strayed beyond the regulatory scheme set by the state on such matters. In November 2015, a division Bench of the SC comprising Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh held that all municipal and local authorities must comply with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and rules made under it. 'Once that is done, we are disposed to think for the present that a balance between compassion to dogs and the lives of human beings, which is appositely called a glorious gift of nature, may harmoniously co-exist,' the Bench said. In 2022, a three-judge SC Bench comprising Justices U U Lalit, S Ravindra Bhat and Sudhanshu Dhulia upheld a stray dog-friendly judgment from the previous year in which Justice J R Midha of the Delhi HC had held that street dogs have a right to food and citizens have a right to feed them. 'Animals are sentient creatures with an intrinsic value. Therefore, protection of such beings is the moral responsibility of each and every citizen…,' Justice Midha had said. Notably, he emphasised that since they are territorial animals, dogs must be tended to and fed within their territories. In May last year, in an order closing multiple stray dog-related cases, a division Bench of the SC comprising Justices J K Maheshwari and Sanjay Karol held that it is best for High Courts or 'other forums' to adjudicate independently on any local issues that may come up. Its only directive was that all decisions taken must be in accordance with the 'the new Rules (from 2023) putting in place mechanism for preventing the infliction of unnecessary pains and sufferings on animals, more specifically the canines'. On Monday, Justice Pardiwala said: '…If you pick up a stray dog from one part, you sterilise the dog and put him at the same place, that's absolutely absurd… Why should that stray dog come back to the locality and for what?' DOG BITES IN INDIA THE LARGEST population of stray dogs is in India; numbers are not known, but are estimated to run into crores. In 2019, the government told Lok Sabha that stray dogs numbered 1.53 crore; it repeated this data in 2022. MORE THAN 37 LAKH cases of dog bites were reported in the country in 2024, up from 30.5 lakh in 2023 and 21.9 lakh in 2022, according to government data from February this year. Nearly 4.3 lakh dog bites were reported in January this year. IF THE DOG IS RABID, its bite can infect the victim with rabies, a viral disease that affects the central nervous system and is almost always fatal if not treated immediately. According to government data from February 2025, 54 people died from rabies in 2024, up from 50 deaths in 2023 and 21 deaths in 2022. 36% OF RABIES DEATHS in the world occur in India, according to estimates by the World Health Organization. Dog bites are responsible for about 96% of the mortality and morbidity associated with rabies in India, the WHO says. 30-60% of reported rabies cases and deaths in India occur in children under the age of 15 years, according to WHO.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Unscientific and inhumane': Activists say Supreme Court order goes against govt's 2023 rule; Peta for effective sterilisation programme
NEW DELHI: Animal welfare activists argued on Monday that the SC order was in violation of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, issued by the central govt. These rules do not endorse the shifting of dogs from the localities where they are caught. The activists also pointed out that Delhi-NCR does not have a single govt-run dog shelter. They also wondered how dogs could be shifted without a headcount of an area's canine population. "The logical way is to first conduct a dog census, arrive at a coherent definition of 'aggressive dogs', then shift them to shelters," said animal activist Sonya Ghosh. tnn 'Order shows misunderstanding of issue' You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi Ghosh felt that the order would put the central govt and the judiciary in conflict if the directive on relocation of dogs was to be implemented. "The ABC Rules do not permit the permanent relocation of strays," Ghosh said. "It seems that there is a lack of awareness on the court's part that, at present, there are no govt shelters for dogs in the region. Eight weeks is a very short time to set up the required shelters. Also, the civic bodies lack the manpower required for action." Alokparna Sengupta, managing director, Humane World for Animals India, said the directive to round up dogs was both scientifically unsound and practically unachievable. "This approach demonstrates a misunderstanding of the issue, law and the science that governs it. Particularly since govt hasn't successfully implemented birth control programmes, which should be the primary focus rather than simply relocating the dogs," said Sengupta. Peta India similarly felt that an efficient sterilisation programme would be a better option. In a statement, it said, "If Delhi govt implemented an effective dog sterilisation programme, there would hardly be any dogs on the road today. It isn't too late to start control programmes. Instead of wasting time, effort and public resources on ineffective and inhumane displacement drives, an effective sterilisation programme is still the solution and urgent need. " Peta said other important measures would include the closure of illegal pet shops and breeders that contribute to animal abandonment. It also batted for encouraging the public to take in a dog in need from an animal shelter or off the street. Advocate Nanita Sharma, who regularly takes up dog-related cases, said the order was unprecedented and against the law laid down by the Supreme Court as well as the high courts. "ABC Rules are the only effective, humane and sustainable approach to managing the dog population in India. However, the authorities haven't performed their statutory duties or seriously conducted sterilisation programmes in spite of lakhs of rupees being granted for this particular purpose. This is not a dog menace, but a human menace of corruption and apathy," Sharma said. Meanwhile, the dog-loving community staged a protest to condemn the court order. The protest started near the court premises before moving to India Gate around 6.30pm. The protest, led by animal activist Manavi Rai, was eventually dispersed by Delhi Police at India Gate. A police officer said 25-30 people were detained while protesting on Janpath. Chinchil Gupta said, "This order should not have been given in a country that believes in peaceful coexistence. Just because these poor creatures can't speak for themselves, they can't be evicted from our localities. As for rabies, the cases will subside with proper vaccination and sterilisation, so the civic authorities should focus on that." A lawyer, who wished not to be identified, added, "I have no issue with changing the ABC Rules as it's incapable of addressing the situation. But ordering the removal of all the community dogs from residential localities to shelters, whether they are vaccinated or not, is an extreme step I didn't expect." Rahul Sharma, another animal supporter, echoed the sentiment. "What's not sitting well with me is why a dog needs to be relocated if it's vaccinated and sterilised. Once vaccinated and sterilised, it's not a rabies threat nor does it breed," he argued. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Indian Express
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘8 lakh' strays, no govt shelters, Delhi has to redraw its plan
With the Supreme Court underlining that stray dogs should not be returned to the streets, the Delhi government has been forced to rethink its strategy on controlling the canine population — estimated at around 8 lakh in the Capital. According to a senior Delhi government official, the current practice, as per the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, is to pick up the stray dogs, take them to hospitals for sterilisation, and then release them back on the streets from where they were picked up. 'We have been focusing on the stray dog menace and have held several meetings but now, with the apex court's order, that becomes irrelevant as the context completely changes… The government will implement the order but it is not possible to pick up the dogs and move them out of the city or to the shelters right now,' the official said. The official said that as the government does not have any shelter of its own, the implementation of the court order may take longer than eight weeks. While the government has hospitals, all the shelters are currently run by non-governmental organisations (NGOs). In its order on Monday, the Supreme Court asked the authorities to make shelters to house stray dogs, saying they should first start work on a shelter for 5,000-6,000 dogs in the next six to eight weeks. It sought a report within eight weeks on the creation of infrastructure. Meanwhile, hours after the Supreme Court's directions, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) ordered that dogs admitted to its hospitals and other animal sterilisation centres should not be released after recovery. The corporation has also ordered an audit of the existing facilities to house dogs temporarily. 'We have asked the centres not to release the dogs there for sterilisation. We are discussing plans regarding building additional shelters, but this will take time. As of now, we have asked the centres to submit how many dogs they can accommodate. Dogs will also be housed in 77 units of vet hospitals run by the MCD. We will start picking up the dogs according to the available facility,' said Dr S K Yadav, project in-charge, Animal Programme, MCD. He said the corporation picked up 200 dogs from the Red Fort area ahead of Independence Day celebrations, and these would not be released now. 'The estimated population of stray dogs in the city is around 8 lakh. We will follow the SC's orders,' he said, adding that they would first focus on vulnerable areas like schools, colleges, hospitals and public spaces. Delhi Development Minister Kapil Mishra is scheduled to hold a meeting with the concerned departments and officials on Wednesday to discuss the matter. 'We are fully committed to abide by the orders and directions issued by the Supreme Court. We have been working on this issue proactively, to address it on the ground from day one, studying the legal and technical obstacles that existed in the previous system,' he said. He said the government would implement the order in a planned manner, keeping both the public as well as the dog lovers in mind. 'Our focus, while implementing this order, will be the welfare of animals,' he said. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, meanwhile, said the 'stray dog menace' had assumed 'gigantic proportions' and assured that her government would bring in a policy soon. 'The people of Delhi have been worried about the stray dog menace for years… our only duty is to give them relief… Today, this problem has taken a gigantic form… it is very important for the government to resolve it with honesty and integrity,' she said. '… we are looking into what the previous governments did… Since our government was formed, it is continuously discussing the issue and holding meetings to provide relief to the people,' the CM said.
Time of India
8 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
50k stray dogs, but city has shelters for only 100 now
Gurgaon: The Supreme Court's order that all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR must be relocated to shelter homes poses a significant challenge for civic authorities because of inadequate infrastructure to house the animals once they are removed from the roads. In a meeting held hours after the court ruling, municipal commissioner Pradeep Dahiya asked Preetpal Singh, joint commissioner (Swachh Bharat Mission), to start working towards implementing the order. The court's directive, however, contradicts the Animal Welfare Board of India's 2022 advisory that recommended against relocating stray dogs. The Monday verdict came in response to repeated incidents of dog bite cases across Delhi-NCR, which have raised concerns regarding public safety. You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon Dahiya told TOI after the meeting, "We will first study the Supreme Court order and then decide on the further course of action. Yes, we must allocate space to set up dog shelters in the city. But we will have to determine whether these shelters will be set up zone-wise or ward-wise." But implementing the order seems easier said than done. The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) now faces the daunting task of relocating an estimated 50,000 stray dogs in shelter homes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ranked: The 25 Best Cities To Live In The World Learn More Undo But as of now, the city has only two operational dog shelters — each with a capacity of 50 animals, located in Baliwas and Daultabad. Two additional shelters are under construction in Basai and Begampur Khatola, but they, too, can only accommodate 50 dogs each. This limited infrastructure presents a formidable challenge for MCG, which must now find ways to house the entire stray dog population. But why does the city lack adequate animal shelters? An MCG official explained, "The Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, required us to return sterilised dogs to their original locations. So, we never built extensive infrastructure for housing these animals. Creating such spaces now, and ensuring they are equipped with CCTV surveillance to prevent animal cruelty, will be a significant challenge." Apart from relocating strays, the apex court has also asked authorities to ensure that dogs that have already been picked up and moved to shelters earlier are not released back on to the streets. It has warned against any resistance to the relocation efforts, emphasising the need to make streets free of stray dogs. For civic bodies, the challenge is to balance public safety with humane treatment of stray animals, all while grappling with infrastructure limitations. Officials said MCG had been working with two private agencies for dog sterilisation and vaccination. According to them, over 20,000 dogs have been sterilised in the city since Jan this year. But the contracts of these agencies are set to expire in Dec. To improve coverage, the corporation is now planning to hire four separate agencies — one for each city zone — to continue with the sterilisation programme. "We are working to improve our numbers of dog sterilisation. After the contract of these two agencies gets over, we are planning to hire four separate agencies, one for each zone of the city. This will ensure better coverage in terms of sterilisation of the stray dog population," Preetpal said. In June 2023, MCG had informed the Punjab and Haryana high court that there were over 17,000 stray dogs in the city, with 1,670 dog bite cases reported in the previous three years. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
