Latest news with #AnimalBirthControlRules2023
Hans India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Supreme Court Reserves Decision On Delhi Stray Dog Removal Order Amid Widespread Opposition
The Supreme Court has reserved its decision on petitions challenging the controversial August 11 order that mandated the complete removal of stray dogs from Delhi and the National Capital Region. A three-judge bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N V Anjaria heard arguments on Thursday following widespread public outcry against the directive. The original order, issued by Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, instructed authorities to capture all stray dogs and relocate them to shelters, beginning with 5,000 dogs within six to eight weeks. The court explicitly stated that no captured animals should be returned to the streets under any circumstances, despite provisions for sterilization, deworming, and immunization as per Animal Birth Control Rules 2023. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal strongly opposed the implementation, arguing that forcing all dogs into shelters would result in inhumane conditions, potential culling, and public health hazards. He emphasized that the situation was extremely serious and called for an immediate stay on the August 11 directive. Advocate Abhishek Singhvi supported this position, contending that the order exceeded legal boundaries and violated established Animal Birth Control regulations. However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta defended the order by presenting alarming statistics, revealing that India reports over 3.7 million dog bite incidents annually. He stressed public safety concerns, particularly highlighting that children cannot safely play outdoors due to the stray dog menace. Mehta clarified that the government harbors no animosity toward animals but must prioritize public welfare. The controversy has sparked significant political and social debate. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the order as cruel and shortsighted, advocating for humane alternatives like sterilization, vaccination, and community-based care. His sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with BJP leaders Varun Gandhi and Maneka Gandhi, also expressed concerns about the directive. Animal rights organizations, including PETA India, condemned the order as impractical and illegal. The organization, along with numerous activists, organized protests near India Gate, resulting in several detentions. A candlelight march was held in Rohini to demonstrate against the removal order. Following the directive, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has already begun implementation by capturing over 100 stray dogs and converting 20 Animal Birth Control centers into temporary shelters. The MCD has identified an 85-acre site in Ghoga Dairy for large-scale shelter facilities and is actively searching for additional land. Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh announced that the relocation process would prioritize aggressive and rabies-infected dogs before expanding to others. Critics argue that blanket removal strategies have historically proven ineffective, as evidenced by senior advocate statements that removing 300,000 animals from Delhi would only result in an equal number returning within a week. They advocate for scientifically-backed approaches focusing on sterilization, vaccination, and community involvement as more sustainable solutions. The case has highlighted the complex balance between public safety and animal welfare, with the Supreme Court now deliberating on whether to maintain its original directive or consider alternative approaches that address both human and animal concerns in the capital region.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Dogs and laws: on street dogs and the Supreme Court order
The August 11 Supreme Court order represents the most forceful judicial intervention yet on the matter of free-roaming dogs. By directing Delhi and its satellites to collect every street dog within eight weeks, confine them permanently in pounds, and expand shelter capacity at speed, the Court has signalled its willingness to override administrative lethargy. Delhi records roughly 30,000 dog bite cases a year and rabies still kills poor urban residents with patchy access to post-exposure prophylaxis. The Court's blunt instrument conflicts with the Animal Birth Control Rules 2023, specifically its doctrine of 'capture, neuter, vaccinate, release', and which forbid municipalities from permanently relocating healthy dogs or impounding them for long periods except if a dog is rabid, incurably ill or found to be dangerously aggressive by a veterinarian. The Rules have failed the test of numbers, however. Urban dog populations have continued to swell despite sporadic sterilisation drives because 70% coverage, below which reproduction rebounds, has almost nowhere been reached. The prescription to return dogs to their territories has entrenched packs in the same high-density neighbourhoods where children play and garbage accumulates. The Rules also block municipalities from exploring alternative strategies such as long-term impoundment. Now, if the Rules are intact, municipal officers who confine dogs could be prosecuted; if they obey the Rules, they risk contempt of court. Policymakers should treat this conflict as an opportunity to confront an outdated legal setup. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 was enacted when India's urban footprint was modest. Today's conurbations with dense informal settlements cannot afford such dog populations. Entrenched ideological positions that romanticise 'community dogs' and regard confinement as oppression take insufficient account of the dense human ecology. A modern statute should clearly distinguish between sociable dogs that can find homes; aggressive or chronically ill dogs that require euthanasia; and the large residual category that can live in proper shelters — but none on public roads. Cities should impose duties on municipalities, specify minimum staffing and veterinary standards for pounds, and tie fiscal transfers to reductions in morbidity. Urban local bodies also need steady funding, perhaps under the National Centre for Disease Control, to bankroll the construction and operation of shelters and to fund large-scale sterilisation teams. Veterinary education councils should integrate shelter medicine into curricula to ensure a workforce exists to staff new facilities. Without such support, Delhi risks swapping its dog menace with underfunded canine slammers at the city's edge, invisible but also cruel.
Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Bengaluru has no dog shelter if it were to implement Supreme Court order on stray dogs
Bengaluru: The Supreme Court's order to relocate all stray dogs in the National Capital Region (NCR) of New Delhi hasn't only caught many by surprise but also sparked discussions across the country. While the verdict is not binding on city corporations elsewhere, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials admit if such a directive were implemented here, there wouldn't be enough dedicated dog shelters to house the animals. Known nationally for its planned programme to feed strays with chicken-rice, BBMP now finds itself in a fix following the apex court's direction. The civic body is awaiting a copy of the court's order before proceeding with its planned initiatives to manage the city's stray population. Currently, BBMP operates only animal birth control (ABC) centres in all eight zones except Mahadevapura, where a private facility handles the programme. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru Each centre can house over 200 dogs, with the capacity expandable to 2,000. However, civic officials point out that the Animal Birth Control Rules 2023 don't permit the long-term sheltering of healthy stray dogs. The city has no corporation-owned dog shelters, and animals involved in bite cases are temporarily kept at five community kennels in Dasarahalli for behavioural observation. A new facility at Yelahanka, still under construction, will include observation units along with ABC services. "We are unsure whether the SC order applies to all corporations. Once we receive it, we will know the details," said Suralkar Vikas Kishor, special commissioner (animal husbandry). "As per the current rules, healthy dogs cannot be permanently confined to shelters, which is why the city only has ABC centres and no permanent shelters," he added. Bengaluru's stray dog population was estimated at 2.8 lakh in 2023, though current figures are unavailable. According to the health department, Karnataka recorded a 36% rise in dogbite cases in 2025, with 2.3 lakh incidents and 19 rabies deaths between Jan and June. In 2024, the state reported 3.6 lakh dogbites and 42 rabies deaths. 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.
Time of India
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
RWAs ask govt to take steps to tackle stray dog menace
New Delhi: Amid growing concerns over the stray dog menace across the national capital, several residents welfare associations (RWAs) of Delhi-NCR assembled at Jantar Mantar on Saturday morning, demanding immediate action by the central govt. Former Union minister and senior BJP functionary Vijay Goel led the protest, which followed the Supreme Court's recent remarks during a case involving alleged harassment of a Noida resident for feeding stray dogs. "We give you a suggestion to open a shelter in your own house. Feed every dog in the community in your own house," the apex court had remarked, stressing the need to protect stray animals while safeguarding public interest too. Criticising the "false activism" of a section of animal lovers, protesters said they fed dogs in public but failed to take their responsibility for long term. Goel said, "If so-called animal lovers truly care for dogs, they should take them into their homes—not turn public spaces into zones of fear." He cited the Noida incident as an evidence of how street feeding without accountability can escalate into public safety concerns. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Beyond Text Generation: An AI Tool That Helps You Write Better Grammarly Install Now Undo You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi Noida RWA member DS Rawat argued for stricter enforcement. "These dogs, emboldened by public feeding, become hostile. When incidents happen, the so-called animal lovers are nowhere to be seen when accountability is needed." The protest centered around three key demands put forth by the RWAs. First, they called for the establishment of permanent shelter homes for stray dogs, emphasising that after sterilisation and vaccination, the animals should not be released back onto the streets. Second, they urged govt to revise Animal Birth Control Rules 2023, specifically objecting to the provision that requires stray dogs to be managed by the RWAs. Lastly, they sought a strict ban on street feeding and the introduction of the "no dogs on streets" policy, reinforcing their call for safe, designated shelter facilities for strays. Goel highlighted Delhi High Court's orders dated Nov 14, 2024, and May 21, 2025, directing the creation of 'no-dog zones' in sensitive public areas such as schools, parks, markets and other crowded places. He also pointed out that the chief secretary of Delhi had been ordered by the high court to submit a report by Aug 2025, outlining concrete steps taken to address the issue.
Indian Express
22-06-2025
- Indian Express
Now, Bengal schools may start feeding stray dogs to sensitise students
The Paschim Banga Samagra Shiksha Mission (PBSSM) has suggested schools all across West Bengal feed stray dogs once a day to sensitise students 'about the importance of taking care of such animals living in their neighbourhood'. 'Some more activities are also suggested, such as the arrangement of feeding such dogs immediately outside the school campus at a fixed time once in the afternoon may be explored. For the purpose of feeding, one particular individual (preferably from the MDM-SHG personnel) may be given the assignment,' said an advisory issued on Friday. 'District-level convergence may be made to establish contact with the District Office of Animal Resource Development Department for sterilisation and vaccination of such stray dogs. It is expected that if these practices are adopted and followed, the students of the schools will learn about the importance of taking care of such animals living in their neighbourhood/immediate vicinity,' the advisory added. This follows a letter written by animal rights activist and former MP Maneka Sanjay Gandhi to the PBSSM. While reacting to the suggestion, Animesh Halder of the Secondary Teachers and Employees Association had a word of advice for the government. 'It is important that children learn about kindness and empathy, but the government must first prioritise increasing honorariums for midday meal workers, building boundary walls, developing playgrounds and libraries, and improving overall school infrastructure. Otherwise, the education system itself will suffer,' Halder said while speaking to The Indian Express. In April, the PBSSM directed all district education officers to implement safety measures to prevent stray dog attacks on children. Schools were advised to utilise the morning assemblies to sensitise the children. Students should avoid approaching stray dogs, throwing stones at them, hitting or yelling at them, running away from them, or making sudden movements. Teachers were instructed to prevent the entry of dogs into school premises when midday meals are served and to take extra precautions during the canine breeding season, when dogs tend to be more aggressive. The directive was issued following a letter from the Department of School Education & Literacy under the Ministry of Education and stated that the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights had made the recommendations. The letter emphasised the role of municipal bodies under the Animal Birth Control Rules 2023.
