‘Greatest friends of humans’: Delhi HC calls for policy on community dogs

Justice Mini Pushkarna says sterilisation is not the solution and dogs are the most loved animal of the world and a great friend of humans.

Calling dogs “the most loved animals” and “great friends of human”, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Delhi government and other stakeholders to submit suggestions for the rehabilitation of community dogs and measures to mitigate human-dog conflict.

The High Court on May 21 called for a meeting to formulate a policy for the rehabilitation of community dogs at an institutional level

A bench of Justice Mini Pushkarna issued the direction after reviewing the Delhi government’s action taken report, which stated that in compliance with the high court’s May 21 order, three meetings had been held. However, stakeholders pointed out that setting up institutional shelters for community dogs would require amendments to the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023. For now, they noted, sterilisation is the only viable option.

While taking note of the sensitivity and magnanimity of the matter, the High Court on May 21 requested the Chief Secretary to call a meeting with stakeholders for formulating a policy for the rehabilitation of community dogs at an institutional level, so that they can be gradually removed from the streets.

The government had annexed the action plan formulated by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) for ABC Programme in Delhi (2025-2030), which estimated that sterilising the city’s 8 lakh dogs would take approximately eight years.

“Delhi has 20 ABC centers and each ABC centre has the capacity to operate 15 dogs per day,” it read and added that each centre can sterilise 375 dogs per month, amounting to 7,500 surgeries per month.

The AWBI had also proposed developing veterinary hospitals as ABC centres and providing them funds for surgery and kennels by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) or the NGO’s to look after the dogs.

The judge observed that the proposed solution of sterilisation was ineffective, as several animal birth control centres were non-functional and 78 veterinary hospitals were not operational and thus directed the stakeholders to file their suggestions by September 17, the next date of hearing.

“Sterilisation isn’t working at all. It’s not the solution. Dogs are the most loved animal of the world and a great friend of humans. It should be ensured that dogs are protected and have to be given dignity,” justice Pushkarna remarked.

She added, “Either dogs are at home, or shelter. Not on roads eating garbage. Humans and dogs both are suffering. Neither humans are safe, nor dogs.”

The court was dealing with a plea filed by Pratima Devi, an octogenarian who challenged the MCD demolition of a makeshift shelter in Saket where she cared for over 200 dogs.

Devi’s petition argued that the MCD razed her shelter without prior notice. In response, the court had granted interim protection in January 2023, allowing her to cover the shelter with tarpaulin as a temporary measure.

On Monday, the MCD sub-committee discussed a series of steps—ramping up focused sterilisation drives, setting up a shelter in Tehkhand and microchipping animals.