Supreme Court Mandates Stray Dog Feeding Zones in Delhi-NCR

The Supreme Court has handed down a landmark ruling prohibiting the feeding of stray dogs on the streets of Delhi-NCR. Instead, the court directed municipal authorities to establish designated areas for this purpose, aimed at promoting public safety and managing the stray dog population more effectively.

Justice Vikram Nath, leading a three-judge bench, emphasized the need to identify appropriate feeding areas, considering the local stray dog populations within each municipal ward. Furthermore, the court ordered the installation of notice boards to mark these spaces, cautioning against on-street feeding with legal consequences for violators.

This decision follows reports of incidents related to unregulated stray dog feeding. In response, the court is requiring municipalities to set up helplines for reporting infractions and instructed that stray dogs picked up be sterilized, vaccinated, and returned to their areas unless they show signs of rabies or aggression.

(With inputs from agencies.)