The order, intended to address rising dog bites and rabies, was praised by RWAs but criticised by animal activists who cited insufficient funding for implementation by civic bodies.
The Supreme Court questions why stray dogs were removed in Delhi before its order was public, as it hears challenges to the directive mandating their relocation to shelters.
On Monday, the top court ordered shifting all stray dogs from residential localities to shelters in view of rising dog bites and rabies cases, drawing mixed reactions.
Chief Justice BR Gavai on Wednesday said that he will review the Supreme Court order on detaining all the stray dogs in Delhi-NCR and putting them in shelter homes. The decision comes amid backlash from several quarters of society.
During Thursday’s hearing, the court acknowledged the competing concerns at play. “On one hand, humans are suffering, and on the other, the animal lovers are here,” it observed.
Representing the Delhi government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the debate was being driven by a “loud vocal minority” while a “silent suffering majority” endured the consequences. In a pointed remark, he added, “I have seen people posting videos of eating meat and then claiming to be animal lovers.”
A three-judge bench of Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta, and Justice N V Anjaria questioned why animal removal drives had begun in some areas before the earlier order was even made public. “Parliament frames rules and laws, but they are not implemented. Local authorities are not doing what they should be doing. They should be here taking responsibility,” the bench remarked.
