Animal activists gather at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar ahead of SC verdict on stray dogs

A large number of animal activists and caregivers assembled at the Jantar Mantar here on Friday ahead of the Supreme Court’s verdict on the relocation of stray dogs.

Animal activists are up in arms against a recent apex court ruling directing the removal of all stray dogs from the streets of Delhi-NCR and their relocation to shelters.

The order has drawn criticism from animal welfare groups, who argue that shelters are inadequate and ill-equipped and insist that the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, which mandates sterilisation and vaccination before releasing dogs back to their original locations, is the only lawful and humane solution.

The activists are seeking to reverse this judgement.

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According to an activist, all of them had been up since “Brahma muhurta” at 4 am, praying for a judgment in our favour.

“If we lose today, I may leave the country for a while. I can’t bear this pain. I will send my street kids (dogs) to a shelter, pay for their care every month, and go away,” said one of the activists.

Another protester, Simran Kaur, said lakhs of Delhi residents who love these “street kids” were anxious, highlighting the “deep emotional” bond between citizens and the city’s stray dogs.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce its decision on the matter on Friday, after reserving its order on August 14.

Animal rights activists and caregivers had observed a “Black Thursday” at Jantar Mantar to protest against the Supreme Court directive for the relocation of stray dogs, and pledged to carry out sterilisation drives themselves to work towards a rabies-free India.

Dressed in black and holding placards that read: “ABC is the law, compassion is the way”, “Vaccinate, sterilise, return not remove”, “Ahimsa for all, big or small”, and “Kindness is our strength, let street dogs live,” the protesters raised slogans demanding justice for street animals.