- By Akansha Pandey
- Wed, 17 Sep 2025 05:35 PM (IST)
- Source:Jagran News Network
It's been a month since the Supreme Court's initial order to remove stray dogs from the streets, and about 26 days since the revised order was issued. Despite the Delhi government's new guidelines—which instruct the creation of feeding centers and the sheltering of dangerous dogs—the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has not yet taken any action.
Lack Of Progress On The Ground
While a location has been selected for new shelters, no construction has started. The feeding centers are also in limbo, and a promised meeting with National Capital Region (NCR) municipal corporations to address the issue has not taken place. According to municipal officials, the primary reason for this delay is a lack of resources needed to implement the Supreme Court's directives.
The MCD currently has 20 sterilisation centers, but there are no proper facilities to house the dogs. Even aggressive dogs are not kept for more than 10 days, and sterilised dogs are typically returned to their original location within four days. A file for a new sterilisation center in Dwarka, Sector 29, has been sent to the engineering department for cost estimates and design, but no decision has been made.
Challenges In Catching Dangerous Dogs
The MCD is also facing difficulties in catching dangerous dogs because there is no designated place to take them. An official, who chose to remain anonymous, stated that when they respond to public complaints about aggressive dogs, they are often met with opposition from animal lovers. By the time officials arrive, the dogs' behavior may have changed, leading to confrontations. The official believes that clear standards need to be established to resolve this issue.
Atul Goyal, President of the United Residents Joint Action, stressed the importance of involving Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) in finding a permanent solution. He stated, "Until they build shelters and involve RWAs in this work, there will be no permanent solution. RWAs must be involved in establishing feeding centers."
MCD's Stance
Raja Iqbal Singh, the Mayor of Delhi, attributed the delay to the recent floods. He said, "When the water level of the Yamuna river rose in Delhi, our main focus was on helping the flood-affected people. We deployed our entire machinery for this, which caused a delay in the work. We will now begin work on the directives of the Supreme Court and the Delhi government to resolve the stray dog problem."
The MCD currently has the capacity to sterilise 500 dogs per day. The corporation has completed 80 per cent of the sterilization work in 57 wards. The sterilisation fee is Rs 900 per dog if the MCD catches it and hands it over to a non-governmental organisation (NGO), and Rs 1,000 if the NGO catches and brings the dog themselves. Between March and July 2025, a total of 4,949 stray dogs were vaccinated against rabies across Delhi.
Below is a breakdown of the number of rabies vaccinations administered in each zone:
- Karol Bagh: 737
- Shahdara South: 665
- Keshavpuram: 430
- City SP Zone: 259
- Central: 281
- Civil Lines: 80
- Rohini: 530
- Shahdara North: 444
- Najafgarh: 209
- West: 614
- South: 517
- Narela: 183