Stray dog crackdown: India Supreme Court orders fencing of key public spaces, removal of animals from highways

New Delhi: In a sweeping order aimed at tackling India’s growing stray dog and cattle menace, the Supreme Court on Friday directed all states and Union Territories to fence major public spaces and clear highways of stray animals within eight weeks.

A Bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N.V. Anjaria, hearing a suo motu case on stray dog management, said every school, college, hospital, public sports complex, bus stand and railway station must be properly fenced to prevent the entry of stray dogs. Local municipal bodies have been tasked with conducting regular pick-up drives to remove strays from these premises and shift them to designated shelters after vaccination and sterilisation, as mandated by the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023.

“The Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories shall ensure strict compliance with this. Otherwise, officers will be held personally responsible,” the Bench warned, directing that compliance reports be filed within eight weeks detailing the mechanisms put in place.

The court made it clear that animals removed from public places should not be allowed to return. It further ordered periodic inspections of schools, hospitals and other key facilities to ensure no stray habitats redevelop there.

“The order is intended to safeguard citizens, particularly children and the elderly, from frequent attacks and accidents involving stray dogs,” the Bench observed, calling on civic bodies to “act humanely but firmly” in implementing sterilisation and relocation programmes.

In a related directive, the apex court also ordered the immediate removal of stray cattle and other animals from highways, citing the risk of road accidents. Such animals, it said, must be transferred to recognised shelters without delay.

The top court expressed displeasure over the continued lapses by several states and Union Territories in enforcing the ABC Rules despite repeated reminders. It noted that unchecked incidents involving stray animals not only endangered lives but also tarnished India’s international image.

“Continuous incidents are happening, and the image of the country is being shown as down in the eyes of foreign nations. We are also reading news reports,” the court remarked earlier during the hearings.

The directions come amid a surge in reports of dog attacks and cattle-related road accidents across cities. Municipal bodies have struggled to manage the rising population of strays, with vaccination and sterilisation programmes often falling short of targets.

The Supreme Court’s latest intervention seeks to impose accountability at the state and district levels, setting clear timelines for fencing, sheltering, and regular monitoring — a move that could finally bring some order to India’s streets and public spaces.