The Supreme Court’s directive to relocate all stray dogs in Delhi’s National Capital Region (NCR) has stirred nationwide debate and raised logistical concerns in Bengaluru. Although the order is not automatically binding on other cities, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials acknowledge that if implemented locally, the city lacks adequate dedicated shelters to accommodate its stray population.
Bengaluru, often recognised for its organised stray-feeding programme that includes chicken-rice meals, now faces uncertainty over future plans. The civic body is awaiting an official copy of the apex court’s order before adjusting its ongoing stray management strategies.
Currently, BBMP operates Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres across all eight zones except Mahadevapura, where a private agency runs the facility. Each centre can house over 200 dogs, with potential expansion to 2,000. However, the Animal Birth Control Rules 2023 prohibit long-term sheltering of healthy dogs. There are no corporation-owned permanent shelters; instead, strays involved in bite cases are kept temporarily at five community kennels in Dasarahalli for behavioural observation.
A new facility under construction in Yelahanka will feature observation units alongside ABC services. “We are uncertain whether the SC order applies universally. Current rules do not allow permanent confinement of healthy dogs,” clarified Suralkar Vikas Kishor, special commissioner (animal husbandry).
Bengaluru’s stray population was estimated at 2.8 lakh in 2023. Alarmingly, Karnataka recorded a 36% spike in dog-bite cases in 2025, with 2.3 lakh incidents and 19 rabies deaths reported between January and June alone.