Supreme Court Prohibits Public Feeding of Stray Dogs

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Supreme Court Prohibits Public Feeding of Stray Dogs

The Supreme Court’s ongoing engagement with this issue follows growing concerns regarding the rising number of stray dog attacks on vulnerable citizens such as pedestrians, cyclists, and morning walkers.

RMN News Legal Desk
August 22, 2025

New Delhi, August 22, 2025 – The Supreme Court has prohibited the public feeding of stray dogs and ordered the creation of dedicated feeding spaces within municipal wards across Delhi-NCR. This significant directive comes as the top court, on August 22, 2025, modified its earlier order that had mandated the rounding up and permanent removal of all stray dogs to shelters.

A three-judge bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria, reviewed a previous order and ruled that stray dogs could be released from shelters after sterilization, unless they exhibit aggressive behavior or are infected with rabies. The court also expanded the scope of the issue, ordering that all similar matters pending before various high courts be transferred to the Supreme Court for the formulation of a final national policy.

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This latest decision marks a shift from the court’s earlier stance on August 11, 2025, which had called for the immediate removal of all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR localities, including Gurugram, Noida, and Ghaziabad, to be housed in shelters and not returned to the streets. That earlier order empowered civic authorities to execute this task, warning that anyone obstructing the exercise would face action for contempt of court. The court had revisited the issue amidst pushback from animal activists and celebrities.

The Supreme Court’s ongoing engagement with this issue follows growing concerns regarding the rising number of stray dog attacks on vulnerable citizens such as pedestrians, cyclists, and morning walkers. The pervasive presence of stray dogs has been described as a “compelling visual of the ongoing tension between animal welfare and the rights and safety of Delhi’s human inhabitants”. Beyond the threat of attacks, both stray and pet dogs contribute to unsanitary conditions by defecating and urinating in public spaces, directly undermining cleanliness drives.

The nuisance caused by dogs extends significantly into group housing societies, where the use of common elevators for pets and incessant barking create significant disturbances, hindering students’ concentration and disrupting the rest of children and senior citizens. This situation has fueled calls for stricter regulations, including a potential prohibition of dogs in group housing societies and penalties for those feeding strays in public. There is a strong underlying sentiment for the Delhi Government to prioritize the safety and well-being of its human residents.

A July 2025 judgment had previously suggested that citizens should bring stray dogs into their homes for feeding, rather than doing so in public spaces. The current order makes the prohibition on public feeding explicit.