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Punjab begins drive to remove stray dogs from public spaces after SC order on euthanasia: ‘Move freely without fear'
The Supreme Court has allowed euthanasia for stray dogs that are rabid, incurably ill, or proven to be dangerous, in a move to reduce the threat to human life.
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said that his government will work to “remove” stray dogs from places with heavy public movement and use “legally permissible measures, including euthanasia” against “dangerous and aggressive dogs that pose a threat to human life”, following a Supreme Court order dated Tuesday.
For the first time, the top court allowed euthanasia for stray dogs that are rabid, incurably ill, or proven to be dangerous, in a move to reduce the threat to human life. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria issued a series of directions to address the growing number of stray dogs across the country.
Punjab govt begins campaign against stray dogs
In a statement shared on X on Friday, the Punjab chief minister said his government would fully implement the Supreme Court's May 19, 2026 order and remove stray dogs from places with heavy public movement “so that children, senior citizens and families can move freely without fearing for their safety”.
“We will create and maintain an adequate number of dog shelters where these stray dogs can be cared for properly,” he wrote.
Mann also said the government would use legally allowed measures, including euthanasia, in cases involving “rabid, incurably ill or demonstrably dangerous and aggressive dogs posing a threat to human life, strictly in accordance with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the ABC Rules.”
On Thursday, the chief minister had announced that the state government would begin a campaign from Friday against stray and killer dogs that put people's lives at risk.
Supreme Court’s order on stray dogs
In a major ruling delivered on May 19, the Supreme Court permitted euthanasia for rabid, incurably ill, dangerous and aggressive dogs to reduce risks to human life. The court said the right to live with dignity also includes the right to move freely without fear of harm from dogs.
In what was the first order of its kind, the court said that where the safety and lives of people are weighed against the interests and welfare of sentient beings, the constitutional balance must clearly favour the protection and preservation of human life.
The order came in a suo motu case started on July 28 last year after media reports covered stray dog attacks leading to rabies cases, particularly among children, in the national capital.
The ruling places India among countries such as Turkey, the United States, Russia, Japan, Morocco and Romania, where laws allow euthanasia of dangerous or unclaimed stray animals under regulated provisions.'
