New Delhi: The Supreme Court has modified the much-debated August 11 direction by its two-judge bench on stray dogs in the Delhi National Capital Region.

LiveLaw has reported that a three-judge bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice N.V. Anjaria said today that the stray dogs which are picked up must be released after sterilisation and immunisation into the same localities that they were picked up from, except those dogs which are infected with rabies or are exhibiting aggressive behaviour.

This removes the earlier order's stipulation that the dogs be kept in shelters.

The apex court has also ordered restrictions on public feeding of stray dogs. It has directed the creation of dedicated feeding spaces.

The court stuck to the direction in the August 11 order that no one can obstruct municipal authorities from picking up dogs in accordance with Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023.

On August 13, Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai had transferred the suo motu case related to stray dogs from a two-judge bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan, to this current three-judge bench. The judges' order which called for all stray dogs in the NCR to be shifted to dog shelters was immediately criticised. Many agitated for the rights of the animals and several noted the infrastructural impossibilities of setting up numerous shelters in the eight-week period given by the Supreme Court.

In today's order, the apex court said that the order extends to all of India and impleaded all states and Union Territories. The court also pushed for a pan-India policy and transferred to itself all petitions on this issue being heard by high courts.

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