Punjab CM’s stray dog remarks reach Supreme Court; Court says it won’t modify order, directs plea to High Court

May 25, 2026

The Supreme Court has dismissed the petition filed regarding Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s statement about killing dogs. The petition stated that the CM misrepresented the order. He spread the misleading information that the court had given a free hand to kill the dogs.

In response, the Supreme Court said that if the Chief Minister makes a statement, should we change our order? The court advised the petitioner to approach the High Court.

The bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta refused to hear the petitioner’s plea in this case, stating that the High Court has been entrusted with the responsibility of strictly enforcing the order. You may go there. The Supreme Court had delivered the final verdict on the petition filed regarding the dogs six days ago.

In which the court had said – dangerous or rabies-infected stray dogs can be injected and killed, it is necessary to protect people’s lives, and the right to live with dignity also includes living free from the dangers posed by dogs. After this, CM Bhagwant Mann had tweeted that he would comply with the Supreme Court’s orders. The dogs will be removed.

First, know what happened today in the Supreme Court:-

The issue of stray dogs was raised in the Supreme Court.

Lawyer: The Chief Minister of Punjab has tweeted that the Supreme Court has given a free hand to kill all the dogs.
Supreme Court: Go to the Punjab High Court. Will we change our order based on the statement of the Chief Minister? The High Court must strictly follow the order. We had told you that the matter has been referred to the High Court. Go and make a request to the High Court.

Lawyer: He thanked the Supreme Court.
Supreme Court: Alright, next case. You can go there and file a petition. We are not paying any attention to what you are saying.

What did CM Bhagwant Mann say in his tweet:-
CM Bhagwant Mann had said – The Punjab government will strictly comply with the orders given by the Supreme Court on 19 May 2026. In accordance with the Supreme Court’s orders, we will take the following steps:-

We will remove stray dogs from all crowded public places so that children, senior citizens, and families can come and go freely without fear for their safety.

We will build and maintain a sufficient number of dog shelters where proper care for these stray dogs can be provided. In cases where dogs are infected with rabies, are incurably sick, or are clearly dangerous and aggressive, posing a threat to human life, actions approved under the law will be taken. This includes killing them. All of this will be done strictly in accordance with the Prevention of Cruelty Act and Animal Birth Control (ABC) rules.

What did the Supreme Court say in its order:-
The Supreme Court said that the Constitution does not envision a society where children and the elderly have to live relying on their physical strength or luck. With the final decision, the court dismissed all petitions filed against the order to remove stray dogs from public places.

8 Important Points of the Order

State governments should strengthen and properly implement the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) rules.
A fully functional ABC Center (Animal Birth Control Center) should be established in every district.
In areas where the stray dog population is high, the number of ABC Centers should be increased as per the requirement.
Considering public safety, a decision should be made to implement these rules at other public places as well and enforce them within a specified time.
Sufficient availability of anti-rabies medicines should be ensured.
NHAI should take necessary steps to deal with the problem of stray animals on national highways, such as removing them using old transport vehicles. NHAI should also monitor this.
Dogs infected with rabies and highly dangerous dogs can be euthanized as per the law and if necessary, to ensure people’s safety.
Municipalities and government officials implementing the court’s orders should be given legal protection. Generally, FIRs and strict actions should not be taken against them.

Four points that are important to know…

How serious is the problem of dog bites? According to the ‘National Centre for Disease Control’ of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, there were around 3.717 million cases in the country in a year. That means, on average, more than 10,000 people are attacked by dogs every day. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), India alone accounts for approximately 36% of the total deaths caused by rabies worldwide.
Who are the most affected? The easiest targets are children under 15 years of age and the elderly. Out of the annual reported cases, more than 500,000 victims are children. Due to their short height, dogs attack directly on their face, neck, and head. Uttar Pradesh reports the highest number of dog bite cases at 511,864. Maharashtra leads in deaths due to rabies, with 14 deaths in 2023.

What to do to avoid dog bites? Do not run in panic. Stand still calmly. Keep your hands close to your body and stay in one place. Dogs often sniff and move away on their own. Keep your eyes slightly lowered or sideways. Do not disturb a sleeping or eating dog. If there is a pack of dogs around, do not leave small children there alone.

What to do immediately if a dog bites? Immediately wash the wound continuously for 10-15 minutes with running tap water and a washing soap. Never apply things like chili, turmeric, soil, lime, or ghee on the wound. Keep the wound open. Complete the vaccination course.