India Supreme Court Halts Plan to Confine Delhi’s One Million Stray Dogs

India’s Supreme Court has reversed its earlier directive to place Delhi’s one million stray dogs into shelters after widespread protests by animal welfare groups.

In its new ruling, a three-judge bench declared that stray dogs should only be kept in shelters if they are infected with rabies or display aggressive behavior. All other dogs must be vaccinated and sterilized before being released back to their original locations.

The court, however, banned feeding stray dogs in public spaces, ordering authorities to establish designated feeding areas instead. Citizens wishing to adopt strays may apply through municipal corporations, but adopted dogs cannot be returned to the streets.

The ruling comes after a previous August 11 order by a two-judge bench that directed authorities in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram to round up all strays and house them in shelters within eight weeks. That order faced severe backlash for contradicting existing laws requiring sterilized strays to be released back into their original areas.

Animal welfare organizations welcomed Friday’s ruling as more balanced and compassionate, though they cautioned that clear, science-based criteria are needed to define “aggressive dogs” to prevent misuse.

India accounts for 36% of global rabies-related deaths, according to the World Health Organization, making stray dog management a critical issue. The Supreme Court has also announced plans to frame a national policy on stray dogs, addressing cases from multiple states.