New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday highlighted the behavioral traits of dogs, stating that they can “smell” people who are afraid of them or have previously been bitten, and may attack such individuals. The remarks came during the ongoing hearing of a suo motu case on the management of stray dogs, initiated on July 28, 2025, following reports of dog bites leading to rabies, particularly among children in the national capital.

A three-judge special bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N V Anjaria, clarified that it had not directed the removal of every dog from the streets. Instead, the bench emphasized that stray dogs must be handled according to the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, which mandate sterilization, vaccination, and regulated re-release of dogs in their territories.

Key Points from Thursday’s Hearing

• No blanket removal of dogs: Justice Mehta stated, “We have not directed the removal of every dog from the streets. The direction is to treat them as per the rules.”
• Rodent control argument: Senior advocate C U Singh noted that removing stray dogs could worsen the rodent problem in Delhi, leading to disastrous consequences. He humorously added that cats help control rodents and suggested promoting them.
• Dogs in hospitals: The bench asked how many dogs each hospital could safely have in corridors and wards. Advocate Krishnan Venugopal argued that dogs should not be present in hospitals, citing a lack of implementation of statutory rules and budgetary allocations.
• Implementation of ABC rules: Lawyers pointed out that despite the ABC Rules being in force, many states and cities have failed to implement them effectively. The need for census data, dog shelters, and microchipping of pet dogs was also discussed, with the court emphasizing that microchipping, while largely not done, should be implemented.
• Behavioral observation: Justice Nath remarked that dogs can detect fear and may attack humans who are fearful or have previously experienced dog bites. The bench also observed that releasing a pet dog that attacks a neighbor, even unintentionally, constitutes an offence.

Additional Discussions

• The bench noted media reports on stray dogs hunting rare species in Ladakh and requested the lawyers to review these reports and provide inputs in the next hearing.
• Multiple suggestions were offered by senior counsel on regulating stray dog populations without compromising public safety.

Next Steps

The hearing remained inconclusive on Thursday and is scheduled to continue on Friday, with all concerned lawyers expected to provide further recommendations on stray dog management and implementation of the ABC Rules.

The Supreme Court’s ongoing deliberations reflect a careful attempt to balance public safety with animal welfare, emphasizing regulated sterilization and vaccination over mass removal of stray dogs.