Stray Dogs Issue - This side or that side?

Growing up, we made a lot of friends. Some of them were kids our age, some pets, street dogs and cats, parrots and pigeons, and the list goes on. Some of us were comfortable holding the animals in our arms and feeding them with love. But there are others who admire the animal world from a distance, and are in fact scared of them. That is also reasonable because animals are most of the time unpredictable. The stray dogs issue has brought both sides to the opposite. Supreme Court hearings seek to explore a solution for the problem. Let us dive deeper into the problem for a better understanding. 

Stray Dogs Issue

In recent years, several incidents of dog bites made news headlines in India. Most of the time, children and elderly became the targets. One such news copy by the Times of India caught the attention of Supreme Court’s Justice JB Pardiwala. The headline read “Delhi hounded by strays, kids pay price: Girl (6) dies of rabies after dog attack, family alleges official apathy”. 

Justice JB Pardiwala, furious, took suo motu cognizance of the matter through a division Bench of the Supreme Court.

Since some harsh orders were initially passed, dog lovers came out in protest. Though a few things changed regarding release of dogs, the matter is still being heard by the Apex Court. There are victims of dog bites, there are dog lovers, there are dog feeders, and several opinions on the stray dogs issue. Recently, Telangana is in news for mass killing of stray dogs through lethal injections.

Supreme Court Hearing on Stray Dogs

The Supreme Court on 28th July, 2025 took suo motu cognizance of the matter. In the next hearing of the matter on 11th August, the Bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice  R. Mahadevan issued directions to the authorities to capture, sterilise, deworm, and immunise dogs and a restriction on releasing them back to the streets. This is where the controversy erupted and Dog lovers began a protest across the nation. Several writ petitions found their way to the Apex Court for protection of the voiceless. Soon, on August 22, 2025, another three-Judge Bench of Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice NV Anjaria sought to neutralise the previous order and give an opportunity of hearing for several stakeholders.

Dog Lovers on Stray Dogs

The Supreme Court’s initial reaction to the stray dogs issue was very harsh when it said that street dogs should be kept in shelters and never released. What dog lovers are protesting against is nothing about dog bites. They expressed concern about the condition of these animal shelters across India.

First thing, these animal shelters have a limited capacity. Overcrowded shelters and limited resources in terms of space and food is just another form of animal cruelty. Another facet is that infected dogs being kept with the rest will increase infections and rabies infected deaths. Dog lovers’ argument is that dogs have been there, living in harmony with mankind since forever. Removing a species is sought to be characterised as “dehumanizing” during the Supreme Court hearing on stray dogs.

Victims of Dog Bites

There are not one or two victims of dog bites, and this is not just any ordinary injury. One person is bitten by a dog and he/she gets traumatised, mostly scared of dogs for a lifetime. The close ones of such victims of dog bites are also affected. Stray dogs issue is also serious in terms of the fact that an infected dog can cause rabies to the victim, which may show symptoms like seizures, hallucinations, paralysis, or even death. 

The instances of dog bites have significantly increased in recent years. There are several social media videos of packs of street dogs attacking someone in residential areas or otherwise. However, during the Supreme Court hearing on stray dogs menace, aggressive arguments are being made on the other side while the victimization remains the only argument for victims. 

Stray Dogs: What is the way out?

Killing or wiping out an entire breed from our neighbourhood does not seem to be a solution to the stray dogs issue. It is a fact that dogs have been humans’ friends for generations. But this does not negate the incidents of dog bites and deaths due to rabies. Given below are some suggestions to deal with the stray dog menace:

• Regulating Dog Feeders: Regulating dog feeders is necessary because what we see around, it is common for dogs to follow people seemingly holding something in their hands, assuming food in there. 
• Stray Dog Space: The Supreme Court order on stray dogs previously required the government to designate spaces in particular localities where dogs may be fed. If there are dedicated spaces for dog food, stray dogs issue may decline. 
• Canine Vaccination Drive: Vaccinating street dogs, particularly against rabies, breaks the transmission cycle. It has been reported that healthy, vaccinated dogs are less likely to suffer from infections or pain, which is a major reason behind aggressive or irritable behaviors.
• Strengthen ABC Rules: In India, we have Anti-Birth Control Rules in place which in theory deal with the problem. If they are implemented in an effective manner, there may be no need to put the dogs in shelters. The rules may be amended to strike a balance between human safety and animal cruelty.