Citing an “alarming rise of dog-bite incidents,” the Supreme Court has issued sweeping directions mandating proper fencing of all educational institutions, hospitals, and public complexes to prevent stray dog entry, and ordered the relocation of captured animals.
November 7, 2025: The Supreme Court of India today delivered a major ruling to address the escalating issue of stray animals in public spaces, particularly the “menace of stray dogs” and the presence of stray cattle on highways.
A special three-judge bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria passed several stringent directions during the hearing of a suo motu (on its own motion) case concerning the safety threat posed by strays.
Mandatory Fencing and Dog Relocation
The primary focus of the court’s order was to secure public institutions against stray dogs.
- Mandatory Fencing: The court directed that all educational institutions, hospitals, public sports complexes, railway stations, bus stands, and depots must be properly fenced to prevent the entry of stray dogs.
- Relocation, Not Release: The judgment makes it the mandatory duty of local self-government institutions to ensure stray dogs captured from these premises are relocated to designated dog shelters only after being vaccinated and sterilized, in line with the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules.
- Ban on Re-release: The bench explicitly stated that the captured animals must not be released back into the same area. The court observed that permitting re-release “would frustrate the very purpose of liberating such institutions from the presence of stray dogs.”
The court also mandated that local bodies conduct periodic inspections to ensure that no stray dog colonies or feeding zones emerge within institutional or public premises.
Parallel Directions on Stray Cattle
In a parallel move, the Supreme Court turned its attention to the rising number of stray cattle and other animals on public roads and highways, which pose a major traffic hazard.
The bench endorsed an approach similar to that of the Rajasthan High Court, ordering an immediate joint and coordinated drive by all States and Union Territories (UTs) to remove stray animals, including cattle, from highways, roadways, and expressways. These animals must be shifted to goshalas or designated shelters.
Stern Warning to State Administrations
The bench issued a stern warning regarding compliance, ordering that the Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories must ensure strict enforcement of both sets of directives.
The court stated that failure to comply would result in officers being held personally responsible. States and UTs have been directed to file a status report within eight weeks, detailing the mechanisms developed to enforce the orders.