In response to the alarming rise in dog bite incidents and the dangers posed by stray animals on roadways, the Supreme Court of India has issued a series of directives aimed at enhancing public safety.
The court, on Friday, November 7, 2025, ordered that stray dogs be removed from the premises of educational institutions, hospitals, bus stands, railway stations, and other public places. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria mandated that these canines be relocated to designated dog shelters after undergoing vaccination and sterilization, in accordance with the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023. The court explicitly stated that the stray dogs should not be released back into the same localities from which they were captured, emphasizing that allowing their return would defeat the purpose of the initiative.
The Supreme Court has directed all government institutions, including hospitals, public sports complexes, bus stands, depots, and railway stations, be properly fenced to prevent the entry of stray dogs. The task must be completed within eight weeks.
Furthermore, the court addressed the issue of stray cattle and other animals on roads and highways, affirming the directions issued by the Rajasthan High Court. It ordered a coordinated effort to remove all such animals from highways, roadways, and expressways, with the animals to be shifted to goshalas or shelter homes. The Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories are responsible for ensuring strict compliance with this order. The court also directed nodal authorities in all States and Union Territories to ensure the removal of stray animals from national highways, roadways, and expressways. States are directed to file a status report within eight weeks, outlining the mechanism developed to implement these directions.
The issue of stray dogs gained national attention when the Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance of the problem on July 28, 2025, following a Times of India report titled "In a city hounded by strays, kids pay price". The report highlighted the increasing incidents of dog bites and the risks of rabies in urban areas.
These directives come in the wake of increasing concerns over the rising number of dog bite incidents across the country. According to a reply to an RTI filed by OpIndia, India has already recorded 26 lakh dog bite cases in 2025 until July, while 2024 witnessed over 37 lakh such cases.
The court's concern also extends to government employees feeding stray dogs within office premises, observing that such conduct violated its earlier directions mandating the establishment of designated feeding zones for canines.
The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has been impleaded as a party to the proceedings. The Supreme Court has asked senior advocate Gaurav Agarwal, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae, to prepare a consolidated checklist of compliance under various parameters based on the affidavits filed by the States and Union Territories.
