'Compassionate, Scientific': Rahul Gandhi Welcomes Supreme Court Decision On Stray Dogs

The court mandated sterilising, vaccinating, and returning stray dogs to their original locations, except for rabid or aggressive dogs, which must be sheltered.

Rahul Gandhi praised the Supreme Court's revised order on stray dogs, which balances public safety and animal welfare.

Source : PTI

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to modify its earlier order on stray dogs in the national capital. 

On Friday, the apex court gave judgment on its August 11 interim order prohibiting the release of stray dogs from dog shelters in Delhi-NCR. 

"I welcome the Supreme Court’s revised directions on stray dogs. It marks a progressive step toward balancing animal welfare and public safety. The approach is compassionate and rooted in scientific reasoning," said the Congress MP in a post on X. 

A three-judge special bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath said the picked up canines should be sterilised, vaccinated, and released back in the same area. 

The bench, however, also said that municipal authorities should continue to comply with the direction asking them to start picking up and rounding stray dogs from all localities of Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Faridabad, and Gurugram.

The court said that its August 11 direction prohibiting the release of picked up stray dogs shall be kept in abeyance for the time being.

"The dogs that are picked up shall be sterilised, dewormed, vaccinated and released back in the same area from which they were picked up," the bench, also comprising Justices Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria, said.

The top court clarified that this relocation shall not apply to dogs infected with rabies or suspected to be infected. Canines showing aggressive behaviour shall also not be released. They would be sterilised and immunised, but under no circumstances should they be released back into the streets.

The infected dogs or dogs suspected to be infected with rabies should be kept in separate pounds or shelters after sterilisation and immunisation, it added. 

"The feeding areas shall be created and identified keeping in view the population and concentration of stray dogs in a particular municipal ward," the bench said.