New Delhi: Expressing concern over the “alarming rise in dog-bite incidents,” the Supreme Court on Friday directed that all educational institutions, hospitals, public sports complexes, bus stands, depots, and railway stations must be properly fenced to prevent the entry of stray dogs.

The Court said it would be the responsibility of the respective local self-government bodies to catch stray dogs found in these premises and move them to designated shelters after vaccination and sterilization as per the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules. The Court further clarified that the dogs removed from such areas must not be released back at the same spot. “Allowing this would defeat the purpose of freeing these public institutions from the presence of stray dogs,” the bench observed.

The three-judge bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria issued these directions in a suo motu case concerning stray dogs.

After pronouncement of the order, Senior Advocates Anand Grover and Karuna Nundy requested the bench to reconsider the decision, arguing that removing dogs would only lead to new ones occupying the same areas. However, the bench declined to entertain their submissions.

Directions to clear roads of stray cattle and animals

In addition, the Supreme Court ordered the removal of stray cattle and other animals from roads, highways, and expressways. The bench upheld the Rajasthan High Court’s earlier directives on this issue and instructed that a “joint coordinated drive” be launched to immediately remove all such animals and relocate them to goshalas or animal shelters.

The Court warned that Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories must ensure strict compliance, failing which responsible officers would be held personally accountable. It further ordered that a status report detailing the mechanism for implementation be submitted within eight weeks. The next hearing of the case is scheduled for January 13.

Background of the case

The issue originated when a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan took suo motu cognizance on July 28, following a Times of India report titled “In a city hounded by strays, kids pay price.”

On August 11, the bench expressed concern over the growing menace of dog bites and rabies, directing Delhi authorities to relocate stray dogs to shelters without releasing them back.

Subsequently, on August 13, the case was transferred to a three-judge bench led by Justice Vikram Nath after some lawyers pointed out that the earlier directions conflicted with previous Supreme Court orders. On August 22, the new bench stayed the August 11 order, observing that the prohibition on releasing treated and vaccinated dogs was “too harsh.”