Supreme Court Rebukes States for Inadequate Stray Dog Sterilization Measures
The Supreme Court of India delivered a sharp rebuke to state governments on Wednesday for their failure to comply with judicial directives aimed at enhancing stray dog sterilization capacity. A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria expressed profound dissatisfaction during a hearing on governmental compliance with earlier court orders.
Judicial Frustration Over Non-Compliance
Justice Vikram Nath articulated the bench's frustration, stating emphatically that states were "building castles in the air" with their inadequate responses. The court noted that most states had failed to provide essential data regarding stray dog bite incidents, with Assam being the sole exception that submitted statistics.
The alarming data from Assam revealed shocking figures: 1.66 lakh dog bites were recorded in 2024, followed by 20,900 bites in January 2025 alone. These numbers prompted the judges to describe the situation as "astonishing" and "shocking," underscoring the urgent need for effective intervention.
Legal Warnings and State Accountability
Justice Nath issued a stern warning to state administrations, declaring that vague statements and affidavits would not be tolerated. The bench explicitly stated its intention to impose "strong strictures" against states that continue to submit insufficient or ambiguous compliance reports.
Senior advocate Gaurav Agarwal, serving as amicus curiae in the case, presented a comprehensive summary of state initiatives while highlighting significant deficiencies. He acknowledged that some states had taken preliminary steps but emphasized that full compliance remained a distant goal.
Specific State Performance and Requirements
Agarwal outlined several critical requirements for states to achieve compliance:
- Expansion of Animal Birth Control (ABC) facilities
- Increased sterilization of stray dogs
- Establishment of functional dog pounds
- Fencing of institutional areas
- Removal of stray animals from roads and highways
Regarding Bihar's efforts, Agarwal noted that while the state reported 34 ABC centers and sterilization of 20,648 dogs, crucial details were missing. The state failed to specify daily sterilization capacity or the timeframe for these figures. Agarwal pointed out that with over six lakh stray dogs in Bihar, sterilizing only 20,648 represents grossly insufficient progress.
Additional concerns about Bihar included:
- Only 91 dogs currently housed in pounds
- No audit conducted of ABC centers
- Incomplete surveys regarding fencing and boundary walls in institutional areas
Advocate Manish Kumar, representing Bihar, requested a three-month extension, assuring the court that "substantial progress" would be made during this period as systems were being established.
Broader Hearing and Case Background
The Supreme Court also heard submissions from several other states including Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Gujarat. The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on Thursday.
This suo motu case originated on July 28 last year following media reports about stray dog bites leading to rabies, particularly affecting children in Delhi. The court's continued scrutiny reflects the growing public health concern surrounding uncontrolled stray dog populations and the urgent need for systematic, nationwide intervention.
