Supreme Court's MAJOR crackdown on stray dogs: Orders authorities to remove them from near these places, insists they be moved to...

The Supreme Court on Friday issued a sweeping directive that all stray dogs must be removed from the vicinity of educational institutions, hospitals, bus stands and railway stations. The bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N.V. Anjaria, made it clear that once captured, the dogs should not be returned to the same locations after sterilisation.

The order extends beyond dogs, instructing states and union territories, along with the National Highway Authority and municipal bodies, to clear stray cattle from national and state highways as well as other roads. A dedicated highway patrol team is to be established by each state and union territory to capture such cattle and relocate them to shelter homes where they will receive proper care.

Scope of the directive

The court’s mandate covers a wide range of public spaces. Within two weeks, all states and union territories must identify government and private schools, colleges, medical facilities, public transport hubs and sports facilities. Within eight weeks, these sites are required to be secured, preferably with boundary walls, to prevent stray dogs from re‑entering.

A nodal officer will be appointed for each identified location to conduct routine surveillance and ensure upkeep. Municipal bodies and panchayats are tasked with carrying out periodic inspections for at least three months and submitting compliance reports to the court.

Who will shift these stray dogs into shelters?

According to the order, the responsibility to pick up stray dogs from the specified locations will lie with the respective local self‑government bodies. They must shift the dogs to designated shelters after sterilisation and vaccination in accordance with the Animal Birth Control Rules. The bench observed that releasing the dogs back at the same place would defeat the purpose of the exercise, stating, “Permitting the same would frustrate the very purpose of liberating such institutions from the presence of stray dogs,” the Court said.

In addition to the dog‑related measures, the Supreme Court instructed authorities to remove stray cattle from highways and other roads. The newly mandated highway patrol teams will catch the cattle and ensure they are transferred to shelter homes where adequate care will be provided. This part of the directive is being pursued as part of the suo motu proceeding the bench is monitoring on dog bite cases across the country.

Concerns over feeding practices

The order follows multiple hearings in which the Court expressed concern over poor implementation of the Animal Birth Control Rules. On November 3, the bench flagged incidents of employees feeding stray dogs inside government offices, despite previous orders to keep feeding zones away from public movement spaces.

“We will be issuing directions with respect to government institutions and PSUs where employees are feeding and encouraging stray dogs,” the bench had said in that hearing. The Court emphasized that such practices undermine the objective of keeping public premises free from stray animals.

Implementation and monitoring

To ensure compliance, the Supreme Court has set a clear timeline. All identified locations must be secured within eight weeks, and a nodal officer must be appointed for each to oversee surveillance. Municipal bodies and panchayats are required to conduct inspections for a minimum of three months and submit reports to the court.

The bench’s directives aim to create a structured framework for managing stray animals, balancing public health concerns with animal welfare considerations.