Stray dogs issue: Activists, citizens protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, call for lawful policy

New Delhi, Jan 4 (PTI) Dog lovers, experts and activists gathered for a demonstration at the Jantar Mantar here over the Supreme Court's recent order to remove street dogs from public spaces, demanding an evidence-based, lawful and humane policy on stray dogs.

Ahead of the apex court's next hearing on the matter on January 7, the protesters, gathered under the banner 'Do or Die', called for an immediate stay on the mass removal and confinement orders of community dogs.

The demonstrators held placards saying 'Pollution hatao, pashu nahi', 'Jeev nahi toh jeevan nahi, and 'Stop the massacre, every life matters'.

Simultaneously demonstrations took place in over 50 cities across the country, including in Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Trivandrum, the statement read.

On November 7, 2025, the Supreme Court ordered to remove all stray dogs from railway stations, schools, hospitals, bus stops and other public areas, and relocate them to a “designated shelter” after due sterilisation and vaccination in accordance with the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules.

The protesters, in a statement, asserted that public-health experts, veterinarians and scientists have expressed concern over the unscientific approach to mass removal and confinement of stray dogs.

These actions will weaken rabies-control efforts, destabilise urban ecosystems, and disproportionately affect low-income and underserved communities, they said.

The mobilisation follows weeks of misinformation and alarmist media reporting that influenced public narrative and policy response before verified facts were examined, the statement read.

"A media report that led to the current suo motu proceedings incorrectly attributed a child's tragic death to rabies, a claim later contradicted by official records. Despite the correction, the initial misinformation became the emotional and political foundation for sweeping directions affecting millions of animals and people," it read.

According to experts, Animal Birth Control with Anti-Rabies Vaccination (ABC-ARV/CNVR) has never been implemented at the scale required for epidemiological impact in most states.

Affidavits submitted by state governments show coverage levels far below global benchmarks. Characterising this as "failure of ABC" is therefore misleading; what has failed is implementation, not the policy or the science behind it, the experts said in the statement.

Meanwhile, over 2,000 citizens from across India, including prominent figures such as Mira Nair, Swara Bhaskar, Mark Tully, and Dadi Padamjee, signed an open letter along with doctors, public-health experts, veterinarians, scientists, animal-behaviour specialists, environmentalists, journalists and caregivers, flagging urgent concerns about the proposed mega-shelter model, it read.

The signatories warned of ecological disruptions, serious public-health risks, and a financial burden running into thousands of crores, with no evidence that the policy would improve public safety, the statement read.

The demonstration at Jantar Mantar in Delhi saw a broad spectrum of key speakers from public health, animal welfare and civil society, including Ambika Shukla, Gauri Maulekhi, Manavi Rai, Gauri Puri, Yogita Bhayana and Maha Singh Sharma.

Local feeders, RWA presidents and animal lovers turned out in numbers, while musicians Mohit Chauhan and Rahul Ram performed in solidarity.

"It is not a protest against public safety, but a call to protect it through science, accountability, and compassion," a protester said.

The protesters called for an immediate halt to the mass removal and confinement of community dogs, and a "meaningful hearings before the Supreme Court with veterinarians, epidemiologists, public-health experts, ecologists and animal-behaviour scientists".

They sought a return to evidence-based governance with proper funding, monitoring and implementation of the ABC-ARV program, as mandated by law. PTI VBH SMV NB