Overview

• Healthy strays must be sterilised, vaccinated, dewormed and returned to their original areas, while rabid or demonstrably aggressive dogs are to be kept in shelters.
• Feeding dogs on streets is prohibited as municipalities must create designated feeding zones in each ward, post signage, run helplines and act against violators or anyone obstructing officials.
• The matter now covers all States and Union Territories, with similar High Court cases to be transferred to the Supreme Court and authorities required to file affidavits detailing shelters, veterinarians, vehicles and staff.
• NGOs involved must deposit Rs 2 lakh each and individual petitioners Rs 25,000 with the registry for stray-dog infrastructure, and formal adoption through municipal bodies is permitted with tagging and no return to streets.
• Experts and officials warn execution will be difficult given under-resourced ABC centres, major vacancies in Delhi’s veterinary cadre, delayed reimbursements and persistent waste management that sustains stray populations.