Problem of stray dogs due to inaction of local authorities, says SC

The Supreme Court on Thursday said the ldquowhole problemrdquo of stray dogs in DelhiNCR National Capital Region stems from the ldquoinactionrdquo of local authorities who have done ldquonothingrdquo to implement the Animal Birth Control ABC Rules concerning sterilisation and immunisation of canines reported PTI The top court reserved its verdict on an interim plea seeking a stay on its directions issued on August 11A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria was hearing a suo motu case and other pleas regarding stray dogs It noted that authorities in DelhiNCR have failed to act despite rules being framed by ParliamentldquoThe whole problem is because of inaction of the local authorities You frame rules in Parliament The government acts rules are framed but no implementation is carried out creating problem which is standing todayrdquo the bench saidHighlighting the delicate balance between human safety and animal welfare the bench added ldquoOn the one hand humans are suffering and on the other hand the animal lovers want the animals also to be treated with dignityrdquoSolicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for the Delhi government cited official data stating that India recorded around 3715 lakh dog bite cases in 2024 mdash nearly 10000 per day Referring to a media report he said the World Health Organization reported 305 dogbite related deaths last year using government and other authentic sourcesThe court observed that the Animal Welfare Board of India local authorities and the government had failed to act ldquoNGOs make a lot of noise but they dont know what they should actually be doing They should have been here earlier for implementation of those rules Animal Birth Control Rules Nothing is happeningrdquo it saidThe bench stressed that everyone filing intervention petitions must take responsibilityOn August 11 a bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan had ordered authorities in DelhiNCR to relocate all stray dogs from streets to shelters starting with a facility for 5000 animals It warned of strict action against those obstructing the exercise and directed immediate creation of shelters or pounds with progress reports due within eight weeksDuring Thursdayrsquos hearing Mehta urged urgent resolution of the issue reported PTIldquoChildren are dyingrdquo he said adding ldquoPlease bear in mind a vocal minority view as against a silent suffering majority viewrdquoMehta emphasised that the aim was humane management of straysldquoNobody is an animal hater Out of 100 species of snakes only four are poisonous but we dont keep them in our house Nobody says dogs are required to be killed They have to be separated from the humans habitationsrdquo he said adding that the apex court would need to find a solution to the ldquomenace of stray dogsrdquoSenior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Singhvi sought a stay on certain directions from the August 11 order reported PTI Sibal appearing for an NGO questioned why civic bodies had not sterilised dogs or built adequate sheltersldquoThe community feeds them Now you say because the community is feeding them take them out and put them in pounds or shelters There are no shelters in placerdquo he said He added that about 700 dogs had been picked up in the capital since the verdict and said ldquoWhere they are God alone knowsrdquoThe bench responded ldquoPlease tell us the part of the order which is offending This matter has been listed today on an urgent mentioning before the chief justice and for constituting a special bench So we are hererdquoSinghvi meanwhile questioned the scale of the perceived crisis citing parliamentary data showing zero rabies deaths in Delhi between 2022 and 2025 ldquoBut to try and create a horror situation that people left right and centre are dying from rabies at least the government should look at its own figures by its own minister on the floor of the House a few weeks agordquo he saidSenior advocate Sidharth Luthra also supporting the interim stay said the August 11 order could encourage high courts to issue similar directions elsewhereThe bench also asked counsel for the Delhi government about compliance with the Animal Birth Control Rules 2023 and related enactmentsWidespread protests were reported across the country following the August 11 order On August 13 petitioners in another straydogs case mentioned their plea before CJI B R Gavai who said he ldquowill look into itrdquoWith PTI inputs