The central government has asserted that the Animal Birth Control (ABC) program is the only viable method for managing the population of stray dogs in India. This initiative mandates that civic bodies capture, sterilize, vaccinate, and then release the stray dogs back to their original locations. The ABC rules, established under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, are in accordance with the global standards set by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). This approach aligns with the Capture-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release (CNVR) method, recognized as a humane and effective strategy for controlling stray dog populations.
Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, SP Singh Baghel, informed the Parliament that the government's stance supports the views of animal rights activists who have protested against the Supreme Court's order of August 11, 2025, which directed the removal of all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR to shelters in remote locations. These activists have described the order as "inhumane, unscientific," and in violation of the established ABC rules.
While the issue of stray dogs falls under the jurisdiction of state governments and local bodies, the central government has framed the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, to ensure humane and effective dog population management. These rules hold local bodies responsible for implementing sterilization and vaccination programs in collaboration with animal welfare organizations. The central government has been actively urging urban local bodies to establish Animal Birth Control units and conduct large-scale sterilization programs, targeting at least 70% of the stray dog population.
To bolster these ABC efforts, the central government has revised its scheme for Birth Control and Immunization of stray dogs and cats, which is being implemented through the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) from the current financial year. The revised plan includes financial assistance of up to ₹800 per dog and ₹600 per cat for sterilization. Additionally, state-run veterinary hospitals will receive one-time grants of ₹2 crore to develop facilities such as surgical theaters, kennels, and recovery units. Support of up to ₹15 lakh for small animal shelters and ₹27 lakh for large shelters will also be available to urban local bodies and recognized animal welfare organizations.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is also implementing the National Action Plan for Dog-Mediated Rabies Elimination (NAPRE) under the National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP), launched in September 2021. Despite these efforts, the Supreme Court has expressed concerns regarding the effectiveness of the ABC Rules, 2023, even calling them "absurd". The court has directed the Delhi government and civic bodies to start picking up stray dogs from all localities and keep them in dog shelters. This order came in response to a rise in cases of dog bites and deaths due to rabies, with over 37 lakh dog bite cases and 54 suspected human rabies deaths reported in India in 2024. The court has also mandated the creation of a helpline for immediate reporting of dog bite cases and warned against any obstruction of authorities in picking up stray dogs.
