India top court shelves plan to lock up Delhi's street dogs

India's Top Court Shelves Plan to Lock Up Delhi's Street Dogs

August 22, 2025

Last week, the

Indian Supreme Court issued a ruling

on the contentious issue of Delhi's

street dog population.

The

five-judge bench

, headed by Chief Justice Bhushan,

declined to impose a complete ban

on the culling of dogs by municipal authorities, as advocated by animal rights advocates. However, they also emphasized that

killing or harming street dogs

should only be done as a

last resort

, after

comprehensive sterilization and vaccination campaigns.

This decision balances the

imperative to protect animal rights

with the

significant public health challenges

posed by Delhi's estimated 200,000 stray dogs.