Protesters at Jantar Mantar oppose SC order on removing stray dogs from public institutions

New Delhi: Slogans such as “remove corruption, not dogs” and “no dogs, no votes” echoed at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday, as several people gathered here to protest against the Supreme Court's direction to remove stray dogs from institutional and public spaces.

The protesters, mostly women, opposed the November 7 order of the court, and chanted: “Aawara nahi, hamara hai (Not a stray, it belongs with us)”.

The apex court, in its order, has asked all states and union territories to ensure the removal of stray dogs from educational institutions, hospitals, sports complexes, bus depots, and railway stations, and barred their release back into those areas after sterilisation.

Advocate Nanita Sharma, one of the petitioners in the Supreme Court, described the order as "unethical" and "unreasonable".

"I feel stray dogs also have the right to live. When a human commits an offence, that individual is punished, not the entire community. Rounding up all the dogs is arbitrary," she told PTI.

Sharma said she would soon file an application seeking modification of the order.

"We want some relief and will argue it out when it is listed," she added.

Appealing to civil society, Sharma said differing opinions were understandable, but compassion must remain central.

"Some people fear stray dogs, and we respect that. But they must also respect feeders who feel responsible for these animals. Aggressive dogs can be shifted to shelters, but that does not make every dog a threat," she said.

Another protester, Priya Tuli, who has been caring for dogs for 30 years, termed the directive "inhuman".

"Every life deserves to live. Dogs are being harassed by people after this order," she said.