The Supreme Court's recent order to remove stray dogs from public areas in Delhi-NCR over eight weeks has reignited one of the most emotionally charged debates in India, residents' safety vs. dogs' welfare. However, in my opinion, to think of this as an us vs. them situation is not only misleading, but also dangerous. Stray dogs are not invaders, they are occupants of our landscapes, shaped by both people and the dog's own instinct.
Stray dogs (HT_PRINT/Representative)
In India and globally, the only sustainable approach to managing stray dog populations is by humane, science-based methods, not simply mass displacement. Reviewing methods for dog management, you will find that sterilisation, vaccination, and community involvement are the basis for any successful work. In South Africa and in Georgia, the local government created an RFID microchipped database of all community dogs and monitored them for the long haul. If we truly want safe streets for humans and animals in India, we will need to take a similar systematic approach.
The danger of displacement is well established; not to mention the harm to dogs in their days and weeks to re-establish their territory. Displacing local territorial, vaccinated dogs without establishing a plan invites unvaccinated, bolder dogs to invade your space because they can. While this increases the risk of rabies and parvovirus, it also negates years of work by the community to stabilise the local dog population.
India simply doesn't have the infrastructure to humanely house millions of dogs. Our best hope is to develop solutions based on community-based initiatives--localised shelter spaces, access to sterilisation clinics, mass vaccination campaigns, and possibly even micro-chipping our pets. The average cost of spaying or neutering a dog is likely between ₹1,000 and ₹2,000, a small cost when the well-being and quality of life of millions of dogs can be saved along with negating public health threats.
This Supreme Court verdict is a clarion call to build better systems, not a cloak for violence and cruelty. The Court’s recent verdict on stray dogs reminds us — voiceless souls are not the problem, our compassion is. Let’s choose kindness, coexistence, and responsible action over cruelty. The problem isn’t stray dogs, it’s our intolerance. Every life has value — even those who cannot speak. Stray dogs aren’t villains in our streets — they’re victims of our neglect. Compassion is the real solution.
Stray dogs have lived alongside humans for generations, sharing our streets, guarding our homes, and becoming silent witnesses to our lives. They are not intruders but an inseparable part of our community’s story — voiceless companions who deserve our compassion, protection, and respect.
We can no longer cycle through fear-based removal and act shocked when nothing changes. Humane sheltering, mass sterilisation, vaccinating, and educating the public are not simply moral choices — they are the only real long-term solution. If we do not act with empathy right now the ‘problem’ will not go away, it will only return bigger and harder to manage.
This article is authored by Sujit Paul, group CEO, Zota Healthcare.
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