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India Today
19 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Cruel, shortsighted: Rahul Gandhi slams Supreme Court's order on stray dogs
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday criticised the Supreme Court's directive to immediately catch and permanently relocate all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR, calling the move 'a step back from decades of humane, science-backed policy.' He said that blanket removals of stray dogs is 'cruel, shortsighted, and strip us of compassion'.'These voiceless souls are not 'problems' to be erased. Shelters, sterilisation, vaccination and community care can keep streets safe — without cruelty,' Gandhi said in a post on X. He added that public safety and animal welfare 'can go hand in hand.'advertisement On Monday, the top court ordered civic authorities in Delhi, Noida and Gurugram to begin picking up 5,000 stray dogs from vulnerable areas within six weeks, sterilise them and keep them in shelters permanently. It also directed the construction of dog shelters within eight weeks, warned against releasing any captured dogs, and said strict action would be taken against anyone obstructing the bench, led by Justice JB Pardiwala, described the rise in dog bite cases and rabies deaths as a 'serious situation' and said 'no sentiments of any nature can be involved' in addressing the menace. 'Infants and young children, not at any cost, should fall prey to rabies,' it welfare organisations have strongly opposed the order, warning that mass removals are against science, law and global best practices. '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 at PETA Ramachandran, CEO of the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO), called the move 'a shocking judgment' and cautioned that displacing stable, vaccinated dog populations could worsen rabies risk due to the 'vacuum effect.' Both PETA and FIAPO have urged the government to focus on mass sterilisation and vaccination drives order has also sparked protests. On Tuesday, Delhi Police filed a case against several animal rights activists who gathered at India Gate to demonstrate against the ruling. Officials cited security restrictions ahead of Independence controversy has drawn reactions from Bollywood too, with Janhvi Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Vir Das, Varun Grover and Chinmayi Sripaada criticising the ruling on social media, some describing it as a 'death sentence for all dogs.'Meanwhile, sources in Municipal Corporation of Delhi admitted that the capital's current infrastructure is far from adequate to meet the to sources, Delhi has no dedicated dog shelters and only 20 sterilisation centres with a combined capacity to operate on about 2,500 dogs at a time. To control the population, at least 70 per cent of the stray dog population has to be sterilised, but the present facilities will not likely allow for that target to be met, sources added.- EndsMust Watch
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Animal protection body slams SC for 'shocking' judgement on stray dogs; flags legal violations, concerns
The Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO) has slammed the Supreme Court's order on Monday, which calls for the removal of all stray dogs across Delhi-NCR. Referring to the judgment as "shocking," the animal protection body has flagged various concerns and legal violations regarding the top court's order. The Supreme Court of India has directed that all stray dogs across Delhi-NCR should be picked up withing eight weeks and housed in shelters.(PTI) "The recent Supreme Court order directing that all street dogs in Delhi-NCR be moved to shelters is a shocking judgment that runs contrary to global public health guidance, India's own laws, and humane, evidence-based practice," reads the official statement by FIAPO. Also Read | Delhi CM vows action plan after SC order to remove stray dogs within 8 weeks SC order violates national law, public safety claims animal body As per FIAPO, the order issued by the Supreme Court not only undermines Delhi's rabies control policy but cites a public safety risk. "Relocation disrupts existing vaccination coverage, breaks up stable, disease-protected dog populations, and triggers the 'vacuum effect' — where new, unvaccinated dogs quickly move in," stated FIAPO. Furthermore, the SC order also violates national law - which is the Animal Birth Control Rules of 2003. The ABC law is fully aligned with WHO recommendations, which requires dogs to be returned to the original territories after their vaccination and sterilisation. Mass sheltering of dogs 'inhumane' Joining the likes of PETA, FIAPO has also stated that the mass sheltering of healthy, vaccinated dogs is inhumane. "Overcrowded facilities cause extreme stress, injury, disease outbreaks, and suffering, while diverting scarce resources away from effective rabies prevention: mass vaccination, sterilisation, and community engagement," the agency added. Also Read | As Delhi ordered to begin stray roundup drive, SC's stern warning for dog lovers Opposing the SC order, FIAPO further states that the matter of mass vaccination and sterilisation of dogs can be carried out successfully in India, but the nation "lacks the will to do it." "The proper and responsible response to such tragedies is increased commitment to implement the law of the land – by declaring a massive sterilisation and vaccination campaign. India has philanthropists who would be glad to invest in this, should money be the issue. But, the issue is not one of money. The issue is the lack of political will. For a country that implemented the pulse polio programme to eradicate polio and got big names involved in it – it's not that we don't know how to do this massive campaign. We lack the will to do," reads the official statement. SC orders removal of all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR within 8 weeks The Supreme Court of India has directed that all stray dogs across Delhi-NCR should be picked up withing eight weeks and housed in shelters. In its order, which has left the nation divided, the court has called on municipal authorities to work in coordination to ensure there are adequate shelter facilities for the dogs. The court further ruled that no stray dog should be released back onto the streets once housed in a shelter.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
SC order to remove stray dogs sparks debate between animal rights groups and public
The Supreme Court directive to relocate all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR to shelters within eight weeks has ignited a wave of mixed reactions online. While some welcomed the move as a step towards addressing the growing menace of dog bites, others expressed concern over how effectively the order would be implemented and whether adequate facilities exist to house the animals. The order came during the hearing of a suo motu case on the alarming rise in stray dog bite incidents in the national capital. (Unsplash) The order came during the hearing of a suo motu case on the alarming rise in stray dog bite incidents in the national capital. The top court issued clear instructions that once captured, no stray dogs are to be released back onto the streets. Animal rights group PETA India released a statement on the order, claiming that the removal of stray dogs from their communities was unscientific and has a low chance of working. "Communities think of neighbourhood dogs as family, and the displacement and jailing of dogs is not scientific and has NEVER worked. Per a population survey conducted in 2022-23, Delhi has 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," it said on X, adding that such removal will not help curb the dog population or reduce rabies and dog bite incidents. "This is because 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," it added, calling for mass sterilisation programs and action against breeders. Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO) also called for a massive sterilisation and vaccination campaign, opposing the SC decision. "The solution lies in scaling up Delhi's sterilisation and vaccination programmes, implementing robust waste management to reduce conflict, and running public awareness campaigns on co-existence. This approach protects both human and animal health, complies with Indian law, and upholds Delhi's commitment to humane, science-based governance," Bharati Ramachandran, CEO of FIAPO said in a statement. However, on social media, many have supported the decision, calling on dog lovers to welcome the order as well. "Dear stray dog lovers, if you are this upset with the SC decision to take the strays off the road, please take a few into your homes and give the dogs a loving home," suggested one user. Another wrote, "Finally, the madness around stray dogs is being recognised by the Supreme Court. A future generation will anyway wonder how we allowed it to happen for so long," said another. Many also called for promoting other ways of supporting stray animals, such as paying for vaccinations and treating dogs housed in shelters.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Inhumane, unscientific': Animal advocates slam Supreme Court directive to relocate stray dogs in Delhi-NCR
Animal protection organisations have strongly opposed the Supreme Court's directive for Delhi-NCR civic authorities to pick up stray dogs and relocate them to shelters, calling the move 'impractical and inhumane' for healthy, vaccinated animals. 'The recent Supreme Court order… is a shocking judgment that runs contrary to global public health guidance, India's own laws, and humane, evidence-based practice,' said Bharati Ramachandran, CEO of Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO), a federation of more than 200 animal protection organisations across India. She called the mass sheltering of healthy, vaccinated dogs 'impractical and inhumane'. 'The proper and responsible response to such tragedies is… declaring a massive sterilisation and vaccination campaign. India has philanthropists who would be glad to invest in this, should money be the issue,' she added. According to Bharati, the solution lies in scaling up Delhi's sterilisation and vaccination programmes and running public awareness campaigns on co-existence. According to India's Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, sterilised and vaccinated community dogs are to be returned to their original territories after treatment. Earlier today, a bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan asked the authorities to build shelters and report about the creation of infrastructure to the court within eight weeks. The bench also stated that the shelters must have sufficient personnel for sterilisation and immunisation of the stray dogs. It also directed monitoring of the shelters by CCTV cameras to ensure that no dogs are taken out. 'There should not be any compromise in undertaking any exercise. If any individual or organisation comes in the way of picking stray dogs or rounding them up, we will proceed to take action against any such resistance,' it said. Reacting to this development, Dr Mini Aravindan, Senior Director of Veterinary Affairs, PETA India, said: 'Had the Delhi government implemented an effective dog sterilisation programme, there would hardly be any dogs on the road today. But it would not be too late to start implementing an effective sterilisation programme now.' She also said that the displacement of dogs on such a large scale is not scientific and has never shown results. 'As per a population survey conducted in 2022-23, Delhi has 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. It will also ultimately do nothing to curb the dog population, reduce rabies or prevent dog bite incidents,' she said, stating that it was infeasible to build enough dog shelters to house all stray dogs. 'Displacing dogs also causes fights over territory and problems like starvation,' she said, adding that the government has required that community dogs be sterilised since 2001, a procedure which calms them. These dogs are also vaccinated against rabies in the process.
Hans India
17-06-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Animal Protection Organisations Urge Immediate Closure of Palamur Biosciences for Systemic Animal Cruelty and Regulatory Violations
New Delhi: Twenty leading animal protection organisations, who are members of the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO), India's largest network of animal protection groups, have submitted an urgent appeal to the Committee for the Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CCSEA) seeking the permanent closure of Palamur Biosciences Pvt. Ltd. for egregious animal cruelty and repeated regulatory violations. Speaking on behalf of the federation, Bharati Ramachandran, CEO of FIAPO, stated: "We urge the CCSEA to uphold its mandate and act without delay to end the suffering of animals at Palamur Biosciences. The egregious violations reported are not isolated incidents—they represent a complete breakdown of ethics and compliance in animal-based research. We must ensure that cruelty is not the cost of scientific progress." Palamur Biosciences, located in Bhoothpur Mandal, Mahabubnagar, Telangana, has been engaging in severe and systemic mistreatment of animals in violation of national laws and scientific ethics. Video and photographic evidence reveal the following violations: · Severe overcrowding: Close to 1,500 dogs were confined in facilities designed to house no more than 800, resulting in heightened aggression, injuries, and unaddressed trauma. · Unregulated breeding: Dogs were bred excessively and continuously, from 18 months of age to nearly 13 years old, without appropriate rest periods between pregnancies, violating breeding norms. · Inhumane handling: Animals were routinely subjected to rough handling during procedures, with no evidence of pain mitigation. Documented instances include dogs being forcibly confined and injected with painful substances. · Non-compliant euthanasia methods: Euthanasia was conducted without sedation, in direct contravention of CCSEA guidelines. · Unlawful use and transport of primates: Rhesus macaques were reportedly used and transported in violation of regulatory requirements, posing serious public health risks. · Unauthorised breeding and inadequate housing of minipigs: Göttingen minipigs were bred without valid licensing and confined in conditions that lacked required environmental enrichment, breaching both national standards and OECD Good Laboratory Practice principles. These actions constitute clear violations of multiple statutory and regulatory frameworks, including the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960; Breeding of and Experiments on Animals Rules, 1998; Guidelines on the Regulation of Scientific Experiments on Animals, 2007; CPCSEA Guidelines for Laboratory Animal Facility, 2015; Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; OECD Good Laboratory Practice standards; and Medical Devices Rules, 2017. The organisations have called on the CCSEA to take the following actions immediately: 1. Revoke all existing CPCSEA registrations, approvals, and breeding licenses issued to Palamur Biosciences Pvt. Ltd. 2. Instruct the company to cease all ongoing experiments and permanently prohibit future applications involving the use of live animals. 3. Initiate immediate rehabilitation and relocation of all surviving animals in collaboration with reputable sanctuaries and rehoming networks.
