'India showed in bad light': SC criticizes states' dog management
27 Oct 2025

A bench of the Supreme Court has summoned the Chief Secretaries of all states and union territories, barring West Bengal and Telangana, for failing to file compliance affidavits on Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules.

The court expressed its displeasure over the inaction on the stray dog menace, saying incidents of attacks were "showing the country in a bad light before foreign nations."

Only West Bengal, Telangana, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi have filed their affidavits, the bench noted.

Defaulting states, UTs may face costs, coercive measures
Legal proceedings

Justice Vikram Nath, who is heading the bench, issued a stern warning to defaulting states and UTs. He said they will face costs and coercive measures for non-compliance.

The suo motu case was initiated on July 28 after a report titled In a City Hounded by Strays, Kids Pay Price was published in the Times of India.

The bench remarked that even those affiavits that were filed were not on record.

Court's order to shift stray dogs to shelters
Stray dog policy

On August 11, a bench led by Justice JB Pardiwala had ordered Delhi authorities to shift stray dogs to shelters and prohibited their release.

The order was extended to Noida, Gurugram, and Ghaziabad with legal consequences for obstructing authorities.

However, this order was stayed by the Nath bench on August 22 as it was "too harsh."

Designated feeding zones for stray dogs
Release policy

The court clarified that under Rule 11(9) of the ABC Rules, sterilized and vaccinated dogs should be released back into their original areas. However, rabid or aggressive dogs can be excluded from this rule.

The court also banned public feeding of stray dogs and directed the creation of designated feeding zones.

It expanded the case to a pan-India level and pushed for uniform enforcement of the ABC Rules across all States and UTs.

National policy on stray dog issue in the works
Accountability measures

The court hinted at formulating a national policy by transferring similar petitions pending in the High Courts.

Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra informed the bench about guidelines from Jammu & Kashmir and the NCT of Delhi, which Justice Nath insisted must be presented by the authorities.

The bench reiterated its seriousness, stating that unless all Chief Secretaries appear on November 3, proceedings would be held in an auditorium to ensure accountability.