The Supreme Court called its August 11 order to capture and put in shelters all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR “a progressive exercise”, acknowledging that shelters could take time to be built and increased.
The Supreme Court has told the authorities to “begin by creating dog shelter(s) for say 5,000 dogs in the next six-eight weeks”.
The matter has since been referred to a larger bench of three judges, which was hearing it on Thursday. Animals rights activists and several other sections questioned the August 11 order, arguing that it wasn't rooted in science even though the stray-dog issue needed to be addressed. Follow SC stray dogs hearing live updates
Also read | ‘Poisoned 2,800 dogs, buried them under trees’: JDS lawmaker's shocking boast in Karnataka
Under no circumstances should the dogs be released back onto the streets after being “captured, sterilized, dewormed and immunized as required by Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023”, as per the detailed order uploaded on the SC website on Wednesday.
{{/usCountry}}Under no circumstances should the dogs be released back onto the streets after being “captured, sterilized, dewormed and immunized as required by Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023”, as per the detailed order uploaded on the SC website on Wednesday.
{{/usCountry}}The order says the judiciary must “not take on the colouration of the prevailing popular sentiments”, but only focus on upholding “the enduring principles of justice, conscience and equity”.
Catch dogs, build shelters simultaneously, says SC order
Ordering immediate start of both exercises — that of rounding up the dogs, and the creation of infrastructure such as shelters and medical facilities — the order says these “shall be undertaken simultaneously”.
“We do not want to hear about even a semblance of lethargy from the concerned authorities on the pre-text of awaiting the creation of shelters/pounds,” the order, however, adds. It warns authorities of strict action otherwise.
“The dog shelters/pounds should have sufficient personnel to sterilize, deworm and immunize stray dogs and also for looking after the stray dogs who would be detained,” it adds.
‘Will be ongoing exercise’
The two-judge bench took suo motu notice of the stray dog issue — citing a rise in cases of dog bites — and passed orders covering "all localities of Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Faridabad, Gurugram as well as areas on the outskirts".
In photos | Pawtrait of a city: Stray dogs and the battle for survival on Delhi streets
Mentioning at another place in the order that “this is an ongoing exercise”, the order says the court won't for now entertain any intervention pleas. “We first want to hear from the concerned authorities as to what they have to say, and the progress made by them,” reads the order.
On question of cruelty
The court set the next date of hearing after four weeks by when it sought a status report.
Activists had pointed out that the estimates of dog population in the region could run into lakhs — some said 3 lakh, other went up to 10 lakh — and an order covering all strays, therefore, would lead to cruelty towards the animals, besides being impractical.
The order does speak about the need to avid cruelty.
Also read | 'These voiceless souls are not problems': Rahul Gandhi on Supreme Court stray dogs order
“We are mindful of the fact that the exercise of rounding up and relocation of the stray dogs in the shelters and pounds carries concerns over the well-being of such stray dogs. We are sympathetic to their lives as-well,” it reads, adding," … at no stage should these dogs be subjected to any mistreatment, cruelty or deplorable standards of care."
It calls for CCTVs at shelters, besides staff, “to ensure that there is no overcrowding… [the dogs] shall not be starved… at no point of time be left completely unmonitored.”