Supreme Court Criticizes Inaction Over Stray Dogs Crisis

The Supreme Court on Thursday criticized local authorities for their inaction concerning the stray dog issue in Delhi-NCR. The new bench, composed of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N V Anjaria, was set up following a prior verdict advocating for relocating stray dogs to shelters.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta presented their arguments before the court reserved its verdict on a temporary stay of the August 11 decision. The order had mandated the creation of shelters for up to 5,000 dogs. The bench emphasized the government's failure to implement existing rules intended to address this issue.

Discussions also touched on alarming statistics, with India reporting 37.15 lakh dog bites in 2024. Concerns over children's safety and the balance between animal welfare and public health were highlighted. The situation remains complex, with widespread protests and calls for a sustainable solution.

(With inputs from agencies.)