SC’s directive on stray dogs a step back from humane, science-backed policy: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday, 12 August, criticised the Supreme Court’s directive to remove all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR, calling it “a step back from decades of humane, science-backed policy” and saying “blanket removals are cruel, shortsighted, and strip us of compassion.”

His remarks came a day after the court ordered authorities to permanently relocate strays to shelters “at the earliest”, citing an “extremely grim” rise in dog bite cases and rabies, particularly among children.

The top court noted that there was an "extremely grim" situation due to stray dog bites resulting in rabies, particularly among children.

Reacting to the directive, Rahul Gandhi said, "The SC's directive to remove all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR is a step back from decades of humane, science-backed policy."

These voiceless souls are not "problems" to be erased, the leader of Opposition said in a post on X.

"Shelters, sterilisation, vaccination & community care can keep streets safe - without cruelty. Blanket removals are cruel, shortsighted, and strip us of compassion," Gandhi said.

"We can ensure public safety and animal welfare go hand in hand," the former Congress president said.

Saying dog shelters will have to be augmented over time, the apex court has directed Delhi authorities to start with creating shelters of around 5,000 canines within six to eight weeks.

A bench of justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan passed a slew of directions and warned of strict action against an individual or organisation in case of obstruction, which might also prompt the court to initiate contempt proceedings.

"If any individual or any organisation comes in the way of such force picking up stray dogs and rounding them up, and if it is reported to us, we shall proceed to take strict action against any such resistance which may be offered," the bench said.

The bench further remarked if the animal activists and "so-called lovers" would be able to bring back children who fell prey to rabies.

"Will they put life back to those children? When the situation demands, you have to act," it said.

The top court was hearing a suo motu case initiated on July 28 over stray dog bites leading to rabies in the national capital.

The top court on Monday directed all the strays to be removed and put in shelters by the Delhi government and civic bodies of Gurugram, Noida and Ghaziabad.

The Supreme Court not only ordered the relocation of stray dogs, but also set operational standards for the shelters:

• Staffing: Shelters must have enough trained personnel to sterilise and immunise the dogs, in addition to providing general care.

• Security: Shelters must be under CCTV surveillance so authorities can ensure that the relocated dogs remain inside the facility and are not released back to the streets.

This turns the ruling into more than just a removal directive — it’s also a compliance and monitoring framework.

With PTI inputs