Chennai animal rights activists oppose SC order on Delhi-NCR stray dogs

Chennai, Aug 17 (IANS) Animal lovers and rights activists staged a protest rally in Egmore, Chennai, on Sunday opposing the Supreme Court’s directive to relocate all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR to shelters within eight weeks.

The demonstration, which began at Rajarathinam Stadium and concluded near a private hotel, saw participants marching with their pet dogs and carrying placards, demanding the withdrawal of the order. Chanting slogans against what they termed an “inhumane” directive, the protestors urged the Delhi government not to enforce the ruling. They argued that relocating nearly 10 lakh stray dogs to shelters would amount to cruelty and deprive the animals of their natural habitat.

“The court is treating stray dogs as a nuisance instead of recognising them as part of our shared environment,” one activist told reporters.

The apex court had taken suo motu cognisance of the alarming rise in dog-bite incidents, including the recent death of a six-year-old child in Delhi following a stray dog attack. During hearings, the court observed that urgent intervention was required and directed sterilisation along with relocation of the canines to shelters.

However, Sunday’s demonstrators stressed that the solution lay not in confinement but in scientific sterilisation drives, community awareness, and stricter implementation of pet ownership rules. They argued that mass relocation would only worsen the problem by straining resources and isolating the animals from communities that often care for and feed them.

Placards carried by protesters read slogans such as “Shelters are not homes” and “Strays are community responsibility, not criminals.” Many participants said that the directive ignored the emotional bond shared by citizens with community dogs and warned that implementing it could trigger more public resentment than relief.

The activists called on the authorities to adopt a humane approach that balances public safety with animal welfare. They demanded that the Supreme Court immediately withdraw its relocation order and instead direct governments to strengthen sterilisation and vaccination programmes.

“The answer is not to lock them away but to manage their population responsibly and compassionately,” a protestor said, adding that India must lead with empathy in addressing its stray dog challenge. The rally concluded peacefully, but organisers vowed to continue their campaign until the court reconsiders its decision.

--IANS

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