The Supreme Court strongly criticised several state governments and Union Territories for their continued failure to implement its directions on controlling the stray dog population. Taking note of rising incidents of dog attacks, the Court has summoned the Chief Secretaries of all non-compliant states and UTs to appear in person on November 3 to explain the delay.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria said it was “troubling” that despite clear instructions issued earlier this year, many governments had neither submitted compliance affidavits nor drawn up workable plans under the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2023.
“We read the newspapers. Continuous incidents are happening,” the bench observed, noting that the issue was not merely administrative but also affected public safety, tourism, and international perception. “Your country is being shown down abroad,” the court remarked.
The Court had previously expanded its stray dog control directives beyond Delhi-NCR to cover the entire country, asking states to file detailed reports on sterilisation drives, vaccination coverage, shelter facilities, and coordination between municipal bodies and animal welfare groups.
However, many governments have either not responded at all or submitted partial accounts without offering concrete action plans. In some cases, municipal corporations have filed affidavits, but the respective state governments have not, prompting the bench to question coordination and accountability.
The Court clarified that its approach was not to allow the indiscriminate removal or culling of dogs, but to ensure humane, systematic population management through sterilisation, immunisation, and regulated feeding practices.
The upcoming hearing on November 3 is expected to indicate whether states are prepared to commit resources and administrative urgency to the issue. The bench has warned that continued inaction may attract coercive steps, including fines.
The case comes amid growing reports from several states of dog bite incidents involving children and elderly people, leading to mounting public concern. At the same time, animal welfare organisations have urged the government to invest in sustained sterilisation drives and trained personnel rather than emergency crackdowns.
As the matter stands, the Supreme Court has made it clear that the time for paperwork and delay has passed — it now expects visible, on-ground action.
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