Indian Court Allows Release of Stray Dogs in New Delhi– With a Condition

A top Indian court has allowed stray dogs to be released back into the massive city of New Delhi, but the animals are to be neutered and vaccinated before then.

On August 11, the Indian Supreme Court ruled that all stray dogs were to be removed from the streets of New Delhi – which is home to around one million of them – and placed into permanent shelters within eight weeks.

This brought relief to many citizens, who have struggled with the dangers of stray dogs on the streets for decades, but also sparked outrage among others. Animal rights activists, as well as many citizens who have befriended the animals, stood up for the dogs, calling for the decision to be reversed. Additionally, other critics pointed out that New Delhi does not have the infrastructure to house one million dogs, which could lead to the rapid euthanasia of most – if not all – of them.

However, in a major court ruling yesterday, a three-person panel decided to rescind the order, allowing the dogs to remain on the streets. The panel confirmed that the dogs would still be rounded up by authorities, but would instead be neutered and vaccinated before being released back into the area from which they were taken. This would decrease the risk of rabies or other diseases while also controlling the population, which has gotten extremely out of hand. Nevertheless, any dog found to be carrying rabies or displaying aggressive behavior will still be kept in shelters.

The ruling also calls on residents to stop feeding strays, as this draws them to highly-populated areas– instead, they have instructed dog-loving citizens to adopt the stray dogs that they feel extremely connected with. However, once the dog is adopted, it cannot be sent back onto the streets, and authorities plan to impose legal punishments for feeding strays in public spaces.

Stray dogs have long been a problem in India due to rabies and dog attacks. Rabies, a dangerous viral disease that is spread through saliva or nervous tissue, can have severe effects on the central nervous system, often leading to death if a rabies shot is not taken quickly after the infection sets in. Around 99% of global rabies cases can be traced back to dogs, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that India accounts for around 36% of global rabies deaths– over 20,000 Indians die each year due to rabies.

Meanwhile, dog attacks are also common across the country. Many of the rabies cases in India occur due to bites or scratches from infected dogs, and videos showing young children or toddlers being mauled by stray dogs have drawn outrage across the nation. In fact, some studies show that over 2,000 dog bites occur each day within the city of New Delhi alone.

Furthermore, according to the Press Trust of India, there are over 62 million stray dogs across the country, meaning that these risks are everywhere, and a lack of control over the dog population is contributing to the population growth.

Due to the massive number of dogs within the country, most of the government's efforts to control the population have failed, as they are able to reproduce faster than authorities can neuter them. However, the court's latest steps prove that India is taking steps towards a safer, more hospitable environment for its citizens, even if the cost is high.

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