The Supreme Court on Thursday clarified that it had not directed the removal of every dog from the streets, and the direction was to treat these stray canines according to the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed concern over the increasing number of dog bite incidents in the country and said that authorities have failed to implement the Animal Birth Control (ABC) rules.
The top court in its recent order instructed states to remove the stray dogs from the premises of hospitals, educational institutions, sports complexes, bus terminals, and railway stations in view of "alarming rise in dog bite incidents".
As many as 29,000 dog bite cases have been reported in Karachi so far in 2025, with 19 people losing their lives to rabies, highlighting a growing public health concern in the region, The Express Tribune reported.
As senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared in the stray dogs case, said that "inhuman" treatment was being meted out to them, a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said a video will be played in the next hearing, "asking you what is humanity".
In compliance with a recent Supreme Court directive, the Chhattisgarh Education Department on Saturday appointed nodal officers to report incidents involving stray dogs and cattle near school premises.
Chidambaram emphasised that dog lovers' concerns are valid, but they must also acknowledge the gravity of the situation. He stressed that being a dog lover does not contradict supporting measures like sequestering, sterilising, and vaccinating stray dogs.
Animal rights activist & BJP leader Maneka Gandhi on Friday expressed shock and concern, saying there are not enough animal shelters to keep the strays after the Supreme Court's ruling on removing street dogs from all public institutions.
"We are shocked to hear the orders that were passed. It was regarding the removal of dogs from certain areas. These areas have been loosely defined as educational, medical or sports institutions across the country. The order has been to make peripheral walls and fences within two weeks in
Supreme Court lawyer and petitioner Nanita Sharma, on Friday, in an emotional state of mind, described the Supreme Court's order on the stray dogs from the premises of educational institutions, hospitals, bus and railway stations. The stray dogs will not be released back in the same area