The Supreme Court on Monday said it will soon issue directions regulating the feeding of stray dogs in government buildings and institutions. The observation came during the hearing of the ongoing suo motu case concerning the management of stray dogs and the implementation of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules.

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria made the announcement, stating that the detailed order would be uploaded in a couple of days.

Court to regulate feeding in government institutions

“We will issue an order in a few days regarding government institutions where employees are supporting and encouraging dogs in that area,” Justice Vikram Nath said during the proceedings.

Senior Advocate Karuna Nundy, appearing for an intervenor, urged the Court to allow submissions before issuing such directions. However, the bench declined, saying, “With regard to government institutions, we will not hear.”

Nundy also highlighted issues related to the designation of feeding areas by Delhi’s local bodies, which the bench said would be examined at the next hearing.

Chief Secretaries warned over compliance delays

The bench also noted the presence of Chief Secretaries from all States and Union Territories, who had been summoned earlier for failing to file compliance affidavits under the Animal Birth Control Rules.

The Court recorded that affidavits have now been submitted and dispensed with the need for their personal appearance in subsequent hearings. However, it warned that any future default would invite fresh summons.

Animal Welfare Board impleaded, victims’ interventions allowed

The Supreme Court also impleaded the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) as a respondent in the matter.

At the same time, it allowed intervention applications by victims of dog bites, exempting them from the deposit requirement that had earlier been imposed on other intervenors. According to the August 22 order, individuals and NGOs supporting dog welfare were required to deposit ₹25,000 and ₹2 lakh respectively to intervene.

The bench further clarified that Senior Advocate Gaurav Agarwal will continue as the amicus curiae in the case.

Background: From suo motu cognizance to national scope

The case began on July 28, 2025, when a bench led by Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan took suo motu cognizance based on a Times of India report titled “In a city hounded by strays, kids pay price.”

On August 11, the bench directed Delhi authorities to relocate stray dogs to shelters and barred their release, extending similar directions to Noida, Gurugram, and Ghaziabad.

However, the matter was later transferred to a three-judge bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath, after concerns were raised that the August 11 directions conflicted with prior Supreme Court orders.

On August 22, the new bench stayed the previous directions, observing that prohibiting the release of vaccinated dogs was “too harsh.” It clarified that under Rule 11(9) of the ABC Rules, stray dogs must be released back into the same area after sterilization and vaccination, except in cases of rabies or aggressive behaviour.

The bench also ordered a prohibition on public feeding of stray dogs, directing local authorities to create designated feeding zones, and expanded the scope of the case to a pan-India level to ensure uniform enforcement of the ABC Rules.

What’s next

The Supreme Court is expected to issue its written order regulating the feeding of dogs within government premises in the coming days. The matter will next focus on the implementation of designated feeding zones and the compliance status of all States and Union Territories under the ABC Rules.