Overview

• Justice Vikram Nath’s three-judge bench will pronounce its decision on August 22 on pleas seeking a stay or modification of the August 11 directive mandating mass capture and permanent sheltering of stray dogs in Delhi‑NCR.
• A separate bench declined an urgent hearing on a petition against the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s pickup notification, stating the matter must go before the concerned bench with orders already reserved.
• The August 11 order from a two-judge bench requires shelters with initial 5,000‑dog capacity within eight weeks and bars re‑release of captured dogs, with animal‑welfare safeguards specified in the written order.
• Animal‑welfare groups and senior advocates argue the directions conflict with the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023 and prior precedent, while the bench earlier faulted authorities for poor implementation of sterilisation and vaccination programs.
• MCD has reported limited initial round‑ups and conversion of ABC centres into temporary shelters as protests continue across the city, including rallies in Janakpuri and viral footage from demonstrations.