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Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
SC stray dog order spotlights poor pet registration in Delhi
The Supreme Court's recent directive to relocate stray dogs in Delhi-NCR has put the spotlight on another long-standing problem — the capital's dismal pet dog registration rate. Despite it being mandatory under Section 399 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD) Act, only 5,767 pet dogs are registered in the city, with 381 applications pending, according to MCD data. The Supreme Court ruling on Monday had outright rejected the idea of stray dogs being adopted. It focused solely on relocation of community dogs and made no specific directive on pet dog registration. (AFP/Representational image) Officials warn that this gap leaves a dangerous grey area between pets and strays, opening the door to disputes and misuse of the complaint system. 'Registration and the token serve as proof of ownership. With the recent SC judgment, we expect a surge in applications, especially for adopted indigenous breeds,' said a senior MCD official. Non-registration can attract fines and prosecution under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita dealing with negligent behaviour with respect to animals. The Act also allows detention of unregistered dogs found in public places, a step veterinary officials say is rarely enforced. Experts warn that poor compliance risks deepening confusion and triggering disputes. Gauri Maulekhi, activist and trustee at People for Animals (PFA), said the lack of registration creates a grey area between pets and community dogs. 'Some people collar strays, keep them indoors for long periods, or adopt indies as full-fledged pets. If neither strays nor pets are tagged, it's bound to cause confusion,' she said, adding that this could even pit neighbours against each other. 'A neighbour might report my dog as a stray, or conversely, collar a stray and claim it's a long-time pet.' The Supreme Court ruling on Monday had outright rejected the idea of stray dogs being adopted. It focused solely on relocation of community dogs and made no specific directive on pet dog registration. Asher Jesudoss, whose 2022 plea in the Delhi high court led to the creation of the Delhi Animal Welfare Board, said that since very few dogs are registered in Delhi, one can find it difficult to differentiate between pets and strays. 'As the name suggests, community dogs are those that belong to the entire community. But nothing stops an individual from collaring the stray and taking it indoors and keeping it as a pet. As per our rules, all breeds and dogs need to be registered. MCD needs to register all pets as proving ownership otherwise becomes tricky,' he said. Pet registration can be done online, with a uniform ₹500 fee. A veterinary official said actual registrations are far below the real number of pets. 'We issue a brass token for the dog's collar, which also lets us track vaccination status,' the official added.
India Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Against ethos of ahimsa: Activists slam top court's 'bizarre' order on stray dogs
The Supreme Court's recent directive to remove all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR streets and place them in government-run shelters has triggered sharp criticism from animal rights activists, who said the move violated existing laws and is unworkable in top court order came in the wake of a fatal attack on a child by a stray dog, as well as data citing thousands of dog bite cases in the capital. During the hearing, senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing for an animal rights activist, argued that the removal order contradicted the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) Rules. advertisementThe bench, however, remarked, "Forget about the rules for now The reality is that these stray dogs have to be removed from public parks and localities. We have to make children safe while cycling, playing senior citizens have to be safe". Under the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, stray dogs cannot be killed or relocated from their territories, except for sterilisation, vaccination, and subsequent release at the same location. The rules also require local authorities to run sterilisation and immunisation programmes, maintain feeding spots in consultation with residents, and establish animal rights experts said that the court's order directly conflicts with these provisions. "It goes against the ethos of ahimsa and the prevention of cruelty to animals," said Dr Asher Jesudoss, executive committee member of the Delhi State Animal Welfare Board. He called the order 'bizarre' and warned of practical hurdles, noting that Delhi has only 20 registered Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres, each accommodating no more than 30–40 dogs at a time. These dogs are typically sterilised, vaccinated, and released back after also questioned the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's claim of sterilising 7 lakh dogs over five years, calling it 'implausible' and suggesting "corruption and misreporting" by both NGOs and the civic body, as the stray dog population has not Ramachandran, CEO of the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO), termed the ruling "a shocking judgment that runs contrary to global public health guidance, India's own laws, and humane, evidence-based practice". She warned that mass sheltering of healthy dogs would be "impractical and inhumane", leading to overcrowding, stress, disease outbreaks, and diversion of resources from effective rabies and other groups advocate scaling up sterilisation and vaccination drives, improving waste management to reduce dog-human conflict, and promoting public awareness for are now exploring legal options, including filing an application to modify or review the order once the written judgment is available. "We are taking legal advice. Will move court in due course," activist Gauri Maulekhi of 1 pm on Tuesday, the Supreme Court's written order on the matter had not yet been uploaded.- EndsMust Watch
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Delhi's stray dogs: How other Indian cities and countries manage the issue
New Delhi Stray dogs in Delhi on Monday. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo) The Supreme Court (SC) order on Monday to move all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR from streets to shelters has been widely criticised by many animal rights activists, who pointed out that the order is arbitrary and not thought out, citing stray dog management strategies adopted in Indian cities and foreign countries. HT looked at cities and countries in India and around the world to assess strategies used to manage community dogs. Around the world Community dogs in New York City (NYC) in the United States of America are mainly managed by Animal Care Centres (ACC), a not-for-profit organisation. The organisation houses dogs at shelters while trying to find them a home, and does not release them back on the not adopted within a certain time are put down. Singapore has followed the Trap-Neuter-Rehome/Release-Manage (TNRM) programme since 2018. This is mainly implemented by the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS), a government body, which is the first responder for stray dog issues. Under this programme, stray dogs are captured, sterilised, vaccinated against infectious diseases, and microchipped so that they can be traced. Then they are either rehomed or released at suitable locations. In London, England, district authorities manage stray dogs and provide a dog warden service. All pet dogs over eight weeks old have to be microchipped, by law. The microchips can be matched to the owner's contact details and kept on national databases. London district authorities are legally mandated to pick up any stray dogs reported, try to find and contact their owners, and keep them for seven days if an owner cannot be found. If an owner is untraceable for seven days, suitable dogs are rehomed. Unsuitable dogs which cannot be rehomed are euthanised. In Turkey, municipalities are mandated to place dogs in shelters and euthanise dogs which are terminally ill or a threat to humans. In May, the Constitutional Court, Turkey's apex legal body, said that the provisions are legally valid and that their implementation will continue. 'Methods used in western countries are impossible here, as we do not have the requisite budget, or adequate proper manpower infrastructure. We should continue following the ABC rules, and monitoring committees at the local and state levels should be set up,' said Asher Jesudoss, a member of the executive committee of the Delhi Animal Welfare Board. Indian states India's stray dog management strategies are largely based on the central government's revised Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023. These rules mandate systematic sterilisation, vaccination and release of stray dogs by municipal authorities, while emphasising rabies prevention. Among notable actions is the stringent enforcement of the rules in Uttar Pradesh, which has prohibited uncontrolled feeding in public spaces under its Municipal Corporation Act. Similarly, Kerala has established special monitoring committees to oversee ABC implementation following a recent spate of stray dog attacks. Mumbai has adopted a balanced stance. While feeding of street dogs and cats is legal and protected by law, feeders are allowed to do so only at designated and clean spots, away from children's areas and public pathways. The feed must be hygienic and should not involve raw meat or leftover food. Feeders are also used to help with sterilisation and vaccination of animals. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, in a set of guidelines issued in June 2025, stated: 'Harassing of citizens for feeding street dogs and cats, hereinafter referred to as 'Community Animals', being a punishable offence. Community animals pertain to street animals more specifically in the neighbourhood. Our country endorses the virtues of ahimsa and non violence and these doctrines have always enabled people to peacefully coexist with animals. Moreover the duty to show compassion to all living creatures is a fundamental duty...' A significant provision under Rule 20 of the ABC Rules designates residents' welfare associations to handle community feeding complaints, although enforcement remains challenging due to a lack of penalty provisions.
Hindustan Times
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
2 years of Delhi's animal welfare board, but nothing to show for it
Formed in April 2023 with the promise of transforming animal welfare in the national capital, the Delhi State Animal Welfare Board (DAWB) has been a little more than a paper tiger. More than two years on, the board has failed to register even a single pet shop or dog breeder — one of its primary mandates — even as complaints against unregulated operators continue to pile up. Announced by then environment minister Gopal Rai, the 27-member board is chaired by the minister of animal husbandry and includes MLAs, municipal officials, veterinary experts, and gaushala (cow shelter) representatives. After two initial meetings in April and July last year, the board met only once again — in September 2024, and even that meeting was held following directions from the Delhi high court. 'After the initial two meetings, the September meeting was again held only because the high court stepped in. Then meeting was scheduled in October, which never took place,' said Asher Jesudoss, an animal welfare activist whose 2022 plea in court led to DAWB's formation. Jesudoss, who was later appointed to the board, said DAWB has been rendered toothless by the 'apathy and lethargy' of officials. 'There isn't even a helpline number or email address for citizens to contact the board.' The Pet Shop Rules, 2018, require all shops in the city selling animals to register with the state board, which must inspect the living conditions of animals and maintain sale-purchase records. The Dog Breeding Rules, 2017, similarly mandate registration of breeders and at least one inspection per year. Yet, no such registration has taken place. Between April 6 and April 9, a team of 18 law students from the Animal Law Cell (ALC) at Delhi University's Faculty of Law visited 34 pet shops across the city. They found a disturbing range of violations which included unweaned puppies being sold, goldfish crammed into glass bottles, the illegal sale of exotic star tortoises, and cramped, unsanitary cages housing both sick and healthy animals together. On May 12, they listed their findings in a report which was then submitted to the Delhi government. On yet another front, the courts have repeatedly pulled up the government for its failure to act. In November 2024,DAWB issued a public notice mandating that all pet shops and dog breeders register within a month. That deadline passed without a single application. Then in December, the Delhi high court gave the board three months to complete the process and questioned the claim that there were no dog breeders in the city. A bench of then acting chief justice Vibhu Bakhru and justice Tushar Rao Gedela said it was 'surprising' that no breeders had come forward, and asked the government to file an affidavit clarifying its stance. The government's submission, dated April 29, stated that the registration drive was 'still in progress.' Over 100 pet shops had been inspected following complaints, and show-cause notices were issued to 56 of them. But yet again, it stated that not a single formal registration has taken place. While conservative estimates by animal welfare activists believe there are between 300-500 pet shops in the Capital, this number does not include dog breeders, who often function from private premises. The animal husbandry department maintains no database of either of these establishments or breeders. Pet shops can easily be opened after a registration with DAWB, followed by a license from the municipal body. Activists allege that the first step is hardly followed, and civic bodies, despite rules clearly stating to give permission only after DAWB's registration, give a regular commercial licence to such shops. 'We haven't received any fresh applications yet, but we are inspecting shops and taking action against violators,' said Satyavir Singh, director of the animal husbandry department and ex-officio member secretary of DAWB. He added that the board had not met this year because it was awaiting reconstitution of nominated members following the change in government in February. 'Some members may be replaced, which is why we have not scheduled a meeting,' he said. Activists, however, say the board has failed in both intent and execution. 'For the last 10 years, despite repeated court directions, the Delhi government has resisted forming a functional animal welfare board,' said Gauri Maulekhi, trustee at People for Animals (PFA). 'Officers are lethargic, meetings are rare, and no decisions are taken. Even basic awareness campaigns have not been launched.' The board was also tasked with improving the conditions of 77 government veterinary hospitals — a longstanding issue that prompted yet another plea in the high court in 2022. Little has changed. 'Nodal hospitals like the one in Masoodpur lack even syringes and gloves. Mobile veterinary units sanctioned by the Centre have been lying unused for more than three years. The national animal helpline number — 1962 — still doesn't exist in Delhi,' said Jesudoss. 'This lack of support actively discourages responsible pet care and adoption in the city.' For now, DAWB remains a board in name alone — in a state of limbo between legal nudges, bureaucratic inertia, and a promise of reform that remains heartbreakingly unfulfilled.
