Delhi is set to implement new regulations concerning the feeding of stray dogs, accompanied by a strict warning against the harassment of individuals providing food to these animals. The Delhi government has issued guidelines aimed at managing the city's stray dog population, curbing rabies, and reducing conflict between humans and dogs.

The new guidelines mandate the identification of designated feeding points for community dogs in every ward, which will be marked with signboards. Local authorities, in collaboration with Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and local residents, are tasked with identifying suitable feeding locations, keeping in mind the territorial nature of the dogs and the safety of children and senior citizens. Cleanliness must be maintained at these feeding points, with proper disposal of leftover food, and feeding at undesignated sites is prohibited.

These measures are aligned with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, and follow directives from the Supreme Court of India regarding the management of stray dogs. The guidelines also incorporate the revised Animal Birth Control Module published by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI).

The responsibility for implementing the program rests with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and the Delhi Cantonment Board (DCB). The MCD currently operates 20 ABC centers through NGOs for the sterilization and vaccination of street dogs. The guidelines specify that local authorities should only engage with Animal Welfare Organizations (AWOs) recognized by the AWBI. Veterinarians, handlers, and para-veterinary staff of these organizations are required to undergo training at the ABC Training Centre, jointly operated by the AWBI, and certification from the Board is required for all programs related to street dog management.

Infrastructure at each ABC center must include sufficient kennels, operating theaters with power backup, specially modified transport vans, and facilities for the safe disposal of waste, with CCTV coverage in specified areas. Detailed records of sterilization, vaccination, feeding, and medical care must be maintained. Expenses for sterilization and vaccination will be reimbursed to the engaged AWOs based on proper verification. A Local ABC Monitoring Committee must be formed as per the rules, which will meet monthly to assess the program's progress and investigate complaints, submitting monthly reports to the committee and annual reports to the AWBI by May 31 each year. The guidelines emphasize that no street dog should be relocated or killed.

In addition to regulating feeding practices, the Delhi government has broader plans for stray dog management, including microchipping 10 lakh street dogs over the next two years in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This initiative, estimated to cost ₹900 crore, includes a dog census, digital vaccination tracking, and public awareness campaigns to prevent dog bites. The government also intends to enforce mandatory registration of pet shops under a special monitoring committee.

The Supreme Court has issued directives that stray dogs must be caught, sterilized, vaccinated, and then released back into the same locality from where they were taken. Dogs found to be aggressive or suffering from rabies can be kept in shelters instead of being released. The court has also stated that feeding stray dogs in public areas will no longer be allowed, and local municipalities have been asked to create designated feeding zones within each ward.