 "As per Dellhi Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh, the removal of stray dogs will be carried out in phases rather than all at once. The first step will focus on dogs that are infected with rabies or are prone to biting. File image. PTI")
Delhi is gearing up for a major change on its streets. Following the Supreme Court ’s order to remove an estimated 10 lakh stray dogs from the city and its neighbouring NCR areas within eight weeks, preparations are already in motion to put the plan into action.
The move has triggered sharp reactions. Many Residents Welfare Associations have welcomed it, saying it will make neighbourhoods safer. But animal rights groups have slammed the plan, arguing that civic bodies simply don’t have the space, funds or systems to carry out such a massive task, and warning it could end up creating more problems than it solves.
Amid the debate, Delhi Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh has backed the Supreme Court’s move. Speaking to ANI, he said work is already underway at the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to plan its execution.
Here’s what we know about the city’s plan so far.
How Delhi plans to tackle the stray dog problem
According to Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh, the removal of stray dogs will be carried out in phases rather than all at once. The first step will focus on dogs that are infected with rabies or are prone to biting.
“We will implement the order in a phased manner. We will send those dogs first to shelter homes that are suffering from some disease," Singh told ANI. “Later, we will focus on other stray dogs,” he added.
As part of the plan, the Delhi Municipal Corporation will convert 20 existing sterilisation centres into dog shelters. NGOs will be brought on board to manage operations, and the government will soon launch a helpline, a step directed by the Supreme Court.
Singh also revealed that a meeting with agencies across Delhi-NCR is being planned to create dog-free zones and scale up the sterilisation programme. The MCD is forming a sub-committee to draft a policy for dog shelters, with input from animal welfare groups, veterinary experts, and legal advisors.
“CM Rekha Gupta never says no to any project, and she thinks about public welfare. In shelter homes, the dogs will be treated as pets,” Singh said.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government has been holding its own meetings on the matter. Minister Kapil Mishra emphasised that the move would be implemented with compassion.
“We are committed to the welfare of homeless animals. The court’s decision will remove obstacles in our path. We will implement it in a time-bound manner, keeping kindness, compassion, and humanity in mind," Mishra said.
Activists, animal lovers push back
As officials prepare to act on the Supreme Court’s order, animal rights groups and many dog lovers are voicing strong opposition.
Veteran animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi called the directive “impractical” and “financially unviable,” estimating it would cost around Rs 15,000 crore, plus an additional Rs 5 crore every week just for feeding.
PETA India has also labelled the ruling “illogical,” arguing that with an estimated 10 lakh stray dogs in Delhi, mass sheltering is “simply impossible” and would likely lead to “very bad” living conditions.
Activists warn that such confinement could trigger trauma, starvation, and outbreaks of disease among the animals.
“The solution lies in scaling up Delhi’s sterilisation and vaccination programmes, implementing robust waste management to reduce conflict, and running public awareness campaigns on co-existence. This approach protects both human and animal health, complies with Indian law, and upholds Delhi’s commitment to humane, science-based governance,” said Bharati Ramachandran, CEO of the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO), in a statement to News18.
Animal rights groups also argue the top court order violates the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, which require that sterilised and vaccinated dogs be released back into their initial locations.
Supreme Court’s order
Earlier this week, while hearing a suo motu case on the surge in dog-bite incidents across the National Capital Region, the Supreme Court issued strict directions to the Delhi civic body to round up stray dogs, sterilise them, and move them permanently to shelters.
Delhi and its neighbouring NCR cities have been grappling with a string of alarming dog-bite cases. In February 2024, a two-year-old girl was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs in Dhobhi Ghat, Tughlaq Lane, while sitting outside her home. More recently, in June this year, a six-year-old from Rohini’s Pooth Kalan died of rabies weeks after being bitten.
Calling the stray dog situation “extremely grim,” the bench ordered authorities to relocate all strays from streets to shelters “at the earliest” and warned of strict action against anyone obstructing the drive.
As an immediate measure, the court instructed civic bodies to create shelter capacity for at least 5,000 dogs, recruit staff for sterilisation and vaccination, install CCTV cameras in shelters, set up a helpline for bite reports, and consider forming a dedicated task force.
The ruling applies to Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, and Ghaziabad, and covers both sterilised and unsterilised animals.
With input from agencies