‘No reason to interfere’: Supreme Court upholds stray dog SOP, allows euthanasia of rabid dogs

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to modify its earlier directions regarding the removal and relocation of stray dogs from institutional and public spaces across India. The court dismissed all pleas seeking changes to its November 7, 2025 order, which had directed authorities to remove stray dogs from places such as schools, hospitals, educational campuses and highways.

In a significant ruling amid growing concerns over stray dog attacks across India, the Supreme Court allowed authorities to carry out euthanasia of rabid, incurably ill and demonstrably dangerous dogs under existing legal protocols. Observing that reports of rising dog bite cases, especially involving children and elderly citizens, were “deeply disturbing”, the court said authorities could take “legally permissible measures” to eliminate threats to human life and public safety.

A three-judge Bench led by Justice Vikram Nath, along with Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice N. V. Anjaria, delivered the verdict while hearing the suo motu matter related to stray dog management and rising dog attack cases.

The Bench also retained its earlier direction that stray dogs removed from institutional areas should not be released back into the same locations.

Court upholds Animal Welfare Board SOP

The apex court also rejected challenges against the standard operating procedures issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India on stray animal management.

The court said there was no reason to interfere with the guidelines issued by the board and dismissed all applications filed against the SOP framework.

The judgment underlined that the guidelines were part of a broader attempt to balance public safety concerns with animal welfare obligations.

Supreme Court criticises poor implementation of ABC framework

While delivering its observations, the Supreme Court strongly criticised states and Union Territories for failing to properly implement the Animal Birth Control (ABC) framework introduced in 2001.

The Bench noted that implementation of sterilisation and vaccination programmes remained sporadic, underfunded and uneven across different regions of the country. According to the court, there had been a clear absence of sustained and systematic efforts to build infrastructure capable of managing the steadily increasing stray dog population.

The judges observed that sterilisation drives and vaccination efforts were often carried out in a fragmented manner without adequate planning, monitoring or long-term follow-up. The court said this had weakened the effectiveness of the programme and prevented the creation of a coordinated and scientifically driven population control mechanism.

Rising dog bite cases concern the court

The Supreme Court also linked the weak implementation of the framework to the growing number of dog attack incidents reported in several states.

The Bench referred to reports from Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan, where more than 1,000 dog bite cases were reportedly recorded within a month. The court noted that several young children had suffered serious injuries, including severe facial injuries caused by stray dog attacks.

It also cited figures from Tamil Nadu, where nearly two lakh dog bite cases were reportedly recorded during the first four months of the year. The court said the lack of consistent action by authorities had aggravated the issue and increased public health risks.

Earlier directions remain in force

The Supreme Court’s November 2025 order had directed states, Union Territories and the National Highways Authority of India to remove stray animals from highways and institutional premises.

The earlier order had also instructed authorities to construct fencing around public and private educational institutions and healthcare facilities within eight weeks to reduce the risk of stray dog attacks.

With Tuesday’s ruling, all those directions remain fully in force.

Public safety and animal welfare debate continues

The stray dog issue continues to remain a major public debate across India, especially in urban areas where rising dog populations and attack cases have triggered concern among residents and local authorities.

Animal welfare groups have consistently supported sterilisation-based population control measures instead of culling, while many residents and parents have demanded stricter action to improve public safety in residential colonies, schools and public spaces.

The Supreme Court’s latest verdict attempts to reinforce stronger implementation of existing animal birth control systems while continuing to prioritise both public safety and animal welfare protections.