Stray Dog Case: The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment on a set of petitions seeking modifications to its previous rulings in the ongoing stray dog case.
The hearing concluded after the court thoroughly considered the arguments of all concerned parties, including dog lovers, victims of dog bites, animal welfare advocates, and legal representatives from both the Centre and various state governments. The court has instructed all parties to submit their written submissions within one week.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria reserved its decision following submissions from amicus curiae Gaurav Agarwal, who outlined the actions taken by states like Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
The bench also heard from counsel representing the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) regarding its adherence to the Supreme Court's directive issued on November 7, 2025, which required the authority to remove stray animals from national highways and implement road fencing.
The Supreme Court instructed the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to process applications from NGOs seeking approval for animal shelters or animal birth control facilities.
"Either accept or reject the applications, but do so without delay," the bench told the AWBI counsel, who had raised concerns about a surge in applications following the November 7 order.
The court urged all parties to submit their written submissions as promptly as possible.
On Wednesday, the court expressed its dissatisfaction with the lack of progress by state governments in meeting its directives to expand stray dog sterilisation efforts, remarking, "They are all building castles in the air."
The court was hearing a series of petitions seeking alterations to its November 7, 2025 order, which mandated the removal of stray animals from institutional areas and roads.
The court also expressed alarm over data from Assam, which reported 166,000 dog bite cases in 2024, despite having only one dog centre. It highlighted that 20,900 people were bitten by dogs in January 2025 alone, labelling the figures as "concerning."
On January 13, the court announced that it would instruct states to pay "substantial compensation" for dog bite incidents and hold dog feeders responsible for such events.
The court further expressed concerns about the failure to enforce stray animal regulations over the past five years.
In light of the "alarming rise" in dog-bite incidents at institutions such as schools, hospitals, and railway stations, the Supreme Court's November 7 order had directed the immediate relocation of stray dogs to designated shelters after proper sterilisation and vaccination.
The court had also specified that no stray dogs should be returned to their original locations after removal.
Furthermore, the court had mandated the removal of all stray cattle and other animals from state highways, national highways, and expressways.
This matter is part of a suo motu case initiated on July 28 of the previous year, following media reports of rabies outbreaks linked to stray dog bites, particularly affecting children in the national capital.