Faced with rising cases of dog bites and public anxiety, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is set to launch a month-long pilot programme starting August 5 to sterilise and immunise stray dogs across 12 assembly constituencies. The move is part of an intensified effort to curb the city’s growing stray population and reduce aggressive dog behaviour, especially in densely populated areas.
The decision was taken at the first meeting of a newly formed MCD committee to tackle the issue, chaired by standing committee chairman Satya Sharma. According to the civic body, the pilot will aim to sterilise 70–80% of the canine population in the selected constituencies, a benchmark seen as critical to breaking the breeding cycle.
“We aim to achieve 70% sterilisation in six to seven months across Delhi,” said committee head Sunder Singh Tanwar. “This will be possible only with the wholehearted support of the stakeholders.”
The veterinary department has been asked to prepare an action plan within a month in consultation with residents’ welfare associations, NGOs, and animal welfare groups. Deputy directors have also been tasked with finalising the 12 target constituencies within the next few days.
Kennels for biters, shelters in the works
In a significant move, the committee has also approved the creation of dog shelters within each of the 20 existing sterilisation centres, specifically to house aggressive or habitual biters. “A portion of each sterilisation centre will be developed as a dog shelter with kennels to house furious dogs and habitual biters,” said committee member Rajpal Singh, councillor from Sriniwaspuri.
However, Singh noted that the current Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023 limit the holding of dogs in custody to just 10 days, which may hamper long-term relocation. “We will simultaneously pursue the central government on amending this rule,” he added.
The committee, which includes nine members such as the MCD additional commissioner and the veterinary director (a position currently vacant), is also pushing for more sterilisation camps and time-bound programmes to control dog biting incidents. “A direction has been issued to appoint the veterinary director in the next eight days,” said Yogesh Verma, councillor from Keshavpuram.
According to officials, the last dog population survey conducted in 2022–23 pegged Delhi’s stray dog count at around 10 lakh, out of which 4.7 lakh were sterilised in 2023. The MCD has also informed the state’s chief secretary of these statistics.
Currently, 21 sterilisation and immunisation centres are operational, run by 13 NGOs registered with the Animal Welfare Control Board of India. “These NGOs have the capacity to sterilise and vaccinate up to 10,000 dogs a day,” said a senior official. The MCD is also working on additional kennel infrastructure in areas like Usmanpur and Rohini to share the load of existing facilities.
Political pressure mounts as SC, CM and MPs intervene
The issue has garnered high-level attention. On Monday, the Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of a Times of India report on dog bite cases, calling the situation “very disturbing and alarming”. Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan examined the Delhi edition of the paper during proceedings.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also convened a meeting on Wednesday, instructing officials to include inputs from animal lovers and experts in shaping the city’s approach. “The chief minister directed the officials to treat this issue not merely as an administrative task but also as a social responsibility,” her office posted on X.
A follow-up meeting is scheduled for Thursday, according to government sources.
In Parliament, BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat raised the matter during Zero Hour, pointing to a steep rise in dog bite cases in the capital. Quoting data from Safdarjung Hospital, she said, “Dog bite cases have spiked from 63,600 in 2021 to nearly 90,000 in just the first seven months of 2025.”
Calling for a national shelter policy, she urged the Centre to direct local bodies to establish permanent facilities to house stray dogs and prevent further incidents.
As Delhi prepares for a citywide sterilisation push, pressure is mounting on all sides—for faster implementation, regulatory reform, and a humane yet effective response to a problem that has long walked the city’s streets unchecked.
(With inputs from ToI)
The decision was taken at the first meeting of a newly formed MCD committee to tackle the issue, chaired by standing committee chairman Satya Sharma. According to the civic body, the pilot will aim to sterilise 70–80% of the canine population in the selected constituencies, a benchmark seen as critical to breaking the breeding cycle.
“We aim to achieve 70% sterilisation in six to seven months across Delhi,” said committee head Sunder Singh Tanwar. “This will be possible only with the wholehearted support of the stakeholders.”
The veterinary department has been asked to prepare an action plan within a month in consultation with residents’ welfare associations, NGOs, and animal welfare groups. Deputy directors have also been tasked with finalising the 12 target constituencies within the next few days.
Kennels for biters, shelters in the works
In a significant move, the committee has also approved the creation of dog shelters within each of the 20 existing sterilisation centres, specifically to house aggressive or habitual biters. “A portion of each sterilisation centre will be developed as a dog shelter with kennels to house furious dogs and habitual biters,” said committee member Rajpal Singh, councillor from Sriniwaspuri.However, Singh noted that the current Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023 limit the holding of dogs in custody to just 10 days, which may hamper long-term relocation. “We will simultaneously pursue the central government on amending this rule,” he added.
The committee, which includes nine members such as the MCD additional commissioner and the veterinary director (a position currently vacant), is also pushing for more sterilisation camps and time-bound programmes to control dog biting incidents. “A direction has been issued to appoint the veterinary director in the next eight days,” said Yogesh Verma, councillor from Keshavpuram.
According to officials, the last dog population survey conducted in 2022–23 pegged Delhi’s stray dog count at around 10 lakh, out of which 4.7 lakh were sterilised in 2023. The MCD has also informed the state’s chief secretary of these statistics.
Currently, 21 sterilisation and immunisation centres are operational, run by 13 NGOs registered with the Animal Welfare Control Board of India. “These NGOs have the capacity to sterilise and vaccinate up to 10,000 dogs a day,” said a senior official. The MCD is also working on additional kennel infrastructure in areas like Usmanpur and Rohini to share the load of existing facilities.
Political pressure mounts as SC, CM and MPs intervene
The issue has garnered high-level attention. On Monday, the Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of a Times of India report on dog bite cases, calling the situation “very disturbing and alarming”. Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan examined the Delhi edition of the paper during proceedings.Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also convened a meeting on Wednesday, instructing officials to include inputs from animal lovers and experts in shaping the city’s approach. “The chief minister directed the officials to treat this issue not merely as an administrative task but also as a social responsibility,” her office posted on X.
A follow-up meeting is scheduled for Thursday, according to government sources.
In Parliament, BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat raised the matter during Zero Hour, pointing to a steep rise in dog bite cases in the capital. Quoting data from Safdarjung Hospital, she said, “Dog bite cases have spiked from 63,600 in 2021 to nearly 90,000 in just the first seven months of 2025.”
Calling for a national shelter policy, she urged the Centre to direct local bodies to establish permanent facilities to house stray dogs and prevent further incidents.
As Delhi prepares for a citywide sterilisation push, pressure is mounting on all sides—for faster implementation, regulatory reform, and a humane yet effective response to a problem that has long walked the city’s streets unchecked.
(With inputs from ToI)
