Supreme Court Ultimatum: Order Issued to Clear Streets of Stray Dogs

Supreme Court on Street Dog Case: Continuing the hearing on the street dog case on Wednesday, Justice Vikram Nath in the Supreme Court said that there is a risk not only of bites but also of accidents.

Street Dog Case: During the hearing of the case related to stray dogs in the Supreme Court on Wednesday, issues such as the mood of dogs, counselling, community dogs, and institutionalised dogs emerged in the debate. Justice Vikram Nath stated that the matter is not limited to just biting. He clarified that stray dogs also pose a risk of accidents on the roads. The Justice questioned, "How can anyone identify which dog is in what mood early in the morning?"

Lawyer Kapil Sibal Speaks in Support of Street Dogs

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, arguing in favour of stray dogs, said that he has never been harmed by any dog while visiting temples and public places. The Supreme Court responded, "You are fortunate, but people are being bitten, children are being affected, and lives are even being lost." Kapil Sibal further stated that a dog that bites someone would be caught and taken to centres, sterilised, and then released in the same area. To this, the Supreme Court remarked humorously that the only thing left is to provide counselling to the dogs so that they do not bite anyone upon their release.

Five Hearings Held So Far

The hearing of this case is being conducted by a bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta, and Justice NV Anjaria on multiple petitions since January 7. It is not yet clear how many petitions are pending. The matter came to the notice of the Supreme Court on July 28, 2025, when a media report was published on stray dog bites and diseases like rabies in Delhi. A total of five hearings have been held on this matter so far.