The Delhi High Court directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to identify one ward each for conducting pilot camps for the sterilisation and vaccination of stray dogs, with an aim to streamline the implementation of animal birth control measures in the national capital.
A Division Bench of Justice Dinesh Mehta and Justice Rajnish Kumar Gupta passed the direction while hearing a suo motu public interest litigation initiated to monitor compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions on the management of stray dogs in public places.
The Bench said the pilot exercise should be undertaken in consultation with the court-appointed amicus curiae. It also directed both civic authorities to ensure extensive public awareness before the camps are organised. The Court ordered that notices and placards be displayed prominently to clarify that the initiative is limited to sterilisation and vaccination, and that no stray dogs would be sent to dog pounds or otherwise removed permanently. Members of the public and animal feeders would be permitted to bring stray dogs to the camps voluntarily.
During the hearing, MCD Standing Counsel Manu Chaturvedi informed the Court that Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres had been identified across eight municipal zones, while approval for centres in three remaining zones was still awaited. He added that dogs from those three zones were currently being accommodated at centres located elsewhere.
Chaturvedi also placed before the Court details of the sterilisation and vaccination drives undertaken over the past six months. Responding to a query from the Bench regarding the estimated stray dog population in Delhi, he said that although no official census had been conducted, the number was estimated to be around eight Lakh. He further suggested that the proposed pilot project could include microchipping of sterilised dogs to facilitate better tracking and data collection.
Advocate Sheffy Bhatia, appearing in one of the connected matters, submitted that local dog feeders could play an important role in helping authorities safely bring stray dogs to the camps for sterilisation and vaccination.
Accepting the suggestion of a pilot project, the Court observed that one ward each under the jurisdiction of MCD and NDMC could initially be selected to assess the effectiveness of the programme before considering its expansion.
The Bench stressed that the initiative should be carried out in a systematic and transparent manner so as to allay concerns among animal welfare groups and residents. It observed that the objective was to encourage voluntary participation and dispel any apprehension that dogs brought to the camps would be impounded or harmed.
The Court also made an observation on maintaining ecological balance, noting that sterilisation programmes should be implemented thoughtfully and that authorities could examine whether a small percentage of the stray dog population ought to remain unsterilised to avoid long-term ecological consequences.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on September 1.
The proceedings form part of the Delhi High Court’s monitoring exercise pursuant to directions issued by the Supreme Court in its suo motu case on stray dog attacks. The apex court had directed all High Courts to register suo motu writ petitions, to oversee implementation of its directions relating to stray dog management.
The Supreme Court had authorised High Courts to monitor compliance, issue further directions suited to local conditions, and initiate contempt proceedings against officials found responsible for non-compliance. In its order dated November 7, 2025, the apex court had directed the removal of stray dogs from educational institutions, hospitals, bus stands, railway stations and other sensitive public places, and ordered that dogs picked up from such locations should not be released back there after sterilisation and vaccination.
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