LexIN RE: “CITY HOUNDED BY STRAYS, KIDS PAY PRICE” versus
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[2025] 8 S.C.R. 1861 : 2025 INSC 1018 In Re: “City Hounded By Strays, Kids Pay Price” (Suo Moto Writ Petition (Civil) No. 5 of 2025) 22 August 2025 [Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N.V. Anjaria, JJ.] Issue for Consideration The issue involved in these petitions centres around the right of the stray dogs to live on the streets, vis-à-vis, the safety and security of the citizens particularly the kids and elderly people from these very stray dogs, many of whom are suspected to be infected with the communicable disease, i.e., rabies. Earlier, the Two Judges Bench of this Court issued directions on 11.08.2025 considering the disturbing pattern of dog bites in the country. Headnotes† Directions by the Supreme Court – Menace of dog bites – Mollification of the directions issued vide order dated 11.08.2025: Held: a) Municipal authorities shall continue to comply with the directions contained in paras 12(i) and 12(ii) of the subject order; b) The directions contained in paras 12(iii) and 12(iv), to the extent that they prohibit the release of the picked up strays, to be kept in abeyance for the time being – The dogs that are picked up shall be sterilised, dewormed, vaccinated, and released back to the same area from which they were picked up – However, this relocation shall not apply to the dogs infected with rabies or suspected to be infected with rabies, and those that display aggressive behaviour; c) The directions contained in para 12(v) shall remain subject to the directions given in paras (a) and (b); d) Municipal authorities directed to commence an exercise for creating dedicated feeding spaces for the stray dogs in each municipal ward – Feeding of dogs on streets impermissible; e) Each municipal authority shall create a dedicated helpline number for reporting incidents of violation of the above directions – On such a report being received, appropriate measures shall be taken against the individuals/NGOs concerned; f) The direction given in para 13 of the order dated 11.08.2025, is reiterated with a slight modification that in case any public servant acting in compliance with the aforesaid directions is obstructed, then the violator/s shall be liable to face prosecution for obstructing the public servant acting in discharge of official duty; g) Each individual 1862 [2025] 8 S.C.R. Supreme Court Reports dog lover and each NGO that has approached this Court shall deposit a sum of Rs.25,000/- and Rs.2,00,000/-, respectively, with the Registry of this Court, failing which they shall not be allowed to appear in the matter any further – The amounts so deposited shall be utilised in the creation of the infrastructure and facilities for the stray dogs under the aegis of the respective municipal bodies; h) The desirous animal lover/s are free to move the application to the concerned municipal body for adoption of the street dogs; i) The municipal authorities directed to file an affidavit of compliance with complete statistics of resources, viz., dog pounds, veterinarians, dog catching personnel, specially modified vehicles/cages available as on date for the purpose of compliance of the ABC Rules. [Para 33] Case Law Cited Conference for Human Rights (India) (Regd.) v. Union of India and Ors., Special Leave Petition (Civil) No. 14763 of 2024; Reema Shah v. The State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors., Special Leave Petition (Civil) No. 17623 of 2025 – referred to. List of Websites Koushiki Saha, “Delhi hounded by strays, kids pay price: Girl (6) dies of rabies after dog attack, family alleges official apathy”, (Time of India, 28 July, 2025) can be accessed here < https://timesofindia. indiatimes.com/city/delhi/delhi-hounded-bystrays-kids-pay-price- girl-6-dies-of-rabies-after-dog-attack-family-allegesofficial-apathy/ articleshow/122938488.cms> List of Acts Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023. List of Keywords Dog bites; Picking up of stray dogs; Dog shelters; Immunization of stray dogs; Adoption scheme for stray dogs; Victim of dog bite; Dogs infected with rabies; Feeding spaces for the stray dogs; Prosecution for obstructing the public servant; Veterinarians; Dog catching personnel. Case Arising From INHERENT/CIVIL ORIGINAL/ EXTRAORDINARY APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Suo Moto Writ Petition(Civil) No. 5 of 2025 [2025] 8 S.C.R. 1863 In Re: “City Hounded By Strays, Kids Pay Price” Under Article 32 of The Constitution of India With Writ Petition(Civil) No. 784 of 2025, SLP (Civil) No. 14763 of 2024
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