Target: Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India
Goal: Ensure stray dogs are not dumped, abused, or returned to sensitive sites where they will be put in danger.
India’s Supreme Court has directed that government premises be properly fenced and that stray dogs found within hospitals, public sports complexes, bus stands, depots, and railway stations be removed and relocated to designated shelters after vaccination and sterilisation under the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023. The Court noted an “alarming rise” in dog-bite incidents and clarified that captured dogs from these facilities should not be released back into the same locality. During prior hearings, the Bench also criticised government employees for feeding dogs within office premises instead of using designated feeding zones.
While these orders provide a humane pathway, implementation gaps allegedly persist: institutions without secure perimeters, ad hoc capture lacking ABC compliance, and instances of illegal dumping or rough handling that place dogs and the public at risk. Survivors and rescuers around the country have long alleged that weak processes, poor sheltering, and sporadic Rule 9 monitoring enable cruelty and chaos rather than the mandated sterilisation-and-vaccination approach.
Strong central coordination is essential so local bodies do not cut corners. Clear enforcement timelines, audits, and sanctions for officials or contractors who reportedly violate ABC norms or court directions can prevent panic removals, illegal releases, or alleged cruelty during transport and housing. This petition urges the Ministry to issue binding implementation standards, fund compliant shelters and mobile ABC units, mandate CCTV-equipped capture vehicles, publish monthly dashboards, and seek penalties where agencies or vendors are allegedly non-compliant.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Shri Puri,
We respectfully urge the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to ensure rigorous, humane national implementation of the Supreme Court’s recent directions on fencing government premises and relocating stray dogs after vaccination and sterilisation pursuant to the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023. The Court has emphasised fencing, removal from sensitive premises, relocation to designated shelters, and non-release back to the same sites, alongside adherence to designated feeding zones.
Without decisive coordination and oversight, local gaps allegedly lead to illegal dumping, rough handling, and non-ABC removals that endanger both animals and the public. We ask the Ministry to set uniform standards and enforceable deadlines for fencing, intake, ABC compliance, and sheltering; to require GPS/CCTV-monitored capture and transport; and to publish monthly dashboards showing captures, vaccinations, sterilisations, relocations, and outcomes. Where agencies or contractors are non-compliant, please pursue penalties available under applicable service rules, contracts, and animal-welfare statutes, and refer alleged cruelty to enforcement.
These measures will support humane population management, reduce bite-risk at sensitive facilities, and uphold the Court’s directions. We appreciate your leadership and ask that you act swiftly so implementation protects both people and community dogs, in letter and spirit.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Soumyadip Adak
