New Delhi: The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, refused to modify its November 25 order on the removal of stray dogs from near schools and hospitals.
The Court also rejected all pleas in connection with the stray dog case.
“We have given detailed consideration to applications seeking recall of our November 7 judgement (but) we have dismissed all the applications,” the Court observed, stating that petitioners had not offered strong enough reasons to interfere with Animal Welfare Board of India protocols, as reported by Hindustan Times.
The Court, in November 2025, had ordered the removal of stray dogs from near public places including hospitals, schools, parks and railway stations. The dogs were to be relocated to shelters.
The court has also allowed authorities to take legally permissible measures, “including euthanasia in case of rabid and dangerous dogs”, to curb threats to human life.
The bench of Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice N V Anjaria top also said there has been absence of sustained efforts on part of states and Union territories to build infra to deal with rising population of stray dogs.
“The court can’t remain oblivious to harsh ground realities where kids, travellers, elderly have fallen victim to dog bite incidents,” the bench hearing the matter said, adding that right to life with dignity encompasses right to live freely without threat of harm from dogs.
Citing “deeply disturbing” incidents of dog bites across the country, according to the separate HT report on the order, the bench had observed: “The problem has assumed deeply disturbing proportions.”
The issue had spread beyond residential localities into airports and other public institutional spaces, the Court said. Referring to reports placed before it, the bench noted: “The very occurrence of repeated dog bite incidents in the country’s busiest airports demonstrates grave inadequacy.”
It cited incidents involving international travellers, including a German tourist allegedly bitten in Gujarat’s Surat, observing that such occurrences adversely affect public confidence in “urban governance and civil administration”.
The Court also issued fresh directions to states and Union Territories in regards to the implementation of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) guidelines. The court has asked them to come up with at least one ABC centre in every district with trained doctors
