India's Supreme Court on Friday put on hold an earlier order on stray dogs in India's capital New Delhi, directing that the animals be caught but released after being sterilized and immunized, except in cases of rabies infection or aggressive behavior.
The court, however, barred public feeding of stray dogs, instructing civic bodies to set up designated feeding zones in municipal wards and warning of legal action against violators.
The court said all similar cases would be transferred to it to help frame a nationwide policy.
Court cited surge in dog bite cases
In an earlier verdict on August 11, the Supreme Court ordered the removal of stray dogs from New Delhi's streets, citing a surge in dog bite cases.
Authorities were instructed to capture 5,000 dogs from "high-risk areas" within six to eight weeks, sterilize them, and relocate them to shelters.
According to government data, New Delhi sees nearly 2,000 dog bite incidents each day, which the court called "extremely grim."
In April, the government presented data in Parliament showing more than 3.7 million dog bite cases and 54 suspected human deaths from rabies reported across the country in 2024.
"Infants, young children should not at any cost fall prey to stray dogs," the court said in its order, suggesting a 24-hour helpline to report dog bites and directing officials to publicize locations where anti-rabies vaccines are available.
The exact number of stray dogs in India's capital is unclear, but estimates from government sources and animal rights activists place the population between 800,000 and a million.
Critics denounced earlier order
The Aug. 11 order sparked widespread protests by animal rights activists in Delhi and across the country.
Speaking to DW, Shaurya Agrawal of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called the court order "illogical, impractical, inhuman, and illegal."
Critics said it was logistically improbable for authorities to establish shelters and resources on the scale envisioned by the court.
Delhi's municipality operates just 20 animal control centers, with a combined capacity for fewer than 5,000 dogs.
Activists urged authorities to strictly enforce the Animal Birth Control (ABC) rules, which mandate the sterilization and vaccination of stray dogs before releasing them back into their communities.
