SC’s stance on stray dogs

December 22, 2025

While many problems are currently disrupting the evolving civic life in India, today we are not discussing the groups of beggars standing at the intersections of India’s metropolitan cities. The discussion is about stray dogs and abandoned animals that have made life difficult for the general public. Reports of deaths from dog bites are frequent, and vehicle accidents caused by stray animals are a common occurrence.The Supreme Court had previously ruled that feeding stray dogs in public places should be stopped. Animal lovers can certainly keep them in their homes if they wish, but people’s lives should not be endangered.

The government’s position is that all stray dogs should be sterilized. They should not be released back into the same areas from where they were caught, but rather proper shelters should be built for them in cities and villages. This responsibility has not been fulfilled, and therefore, the number of stray dogs and abandoned animals is increasing in the country and its states. The animal rights lobby is opposing any kind of cruelty to animals in the name of humanity.

Hearing a petition filed in this regard, the Supreme Court stated that no one objects to ensuring the safety of animal lives, but when stray animals and dogs roaming the streets become a threat to the lives of ordinary citizens, it becomes necessary to find a solution to the problem. During the hearing of the petition before the bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, Kapil Sibal also stated that the forceful removal of voiceless animals is contrary to humanity.
The real problem is that while there is much talk of humane treatment of animals, there are not enough shelters for abandoned and potentially dangerous animals.