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Supreme Court to Formulate Uniform National Policy on Stray Dogs

By Gireesh Vasishta
Supreme Court to Formulate Uniform National Policy on Stray Dogs

Reconciling Conflicting Judgments: Some High Courts, like the Kerala High Court, have mandated strict compliance with the PCA Act and ABC Rules 2001/2023. In contrast, the Karnataka, Bombay, and Himachal Pradesh High Courts have permitted local authorities to operate under municipal laws. The Supreme Court aims to resolve these conflicting rulings by formulating a uniform policy.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has taken over cases related to stray dogs pending in various High Courts across the country, with the aim of formulating a uniform national policy for their management.
Supreme Court’s Action:The Supreme Court’s recent action (around August 2025) is aimed at addressing the challenges posed by stray dogs by establishing a uniform national policy. TIMEX Classics Analog Watch for Men with Round Dial & Water Resistant Man's Wrist Watches


This move comes in response to the Supreme Court’s order on August 11, 2025, concerning the relocation of stray dogs in Delhi-NCR, which highlighted the conflict between public safety and animal welfare. To reconcile conflicting judgments from various High Courts and to create a cohesive policy, the Supreme Court has brought these cases under its jurisdiction.Context in Karnataka:In Karnataka, the issue of stray dogs is significant. Certain Karnataka High Court rulings have allowed local authorities to manage stray dogs under municipal laws, without strictly adhering to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 (PCA) or the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2001. For instance, judgments from the Karnataka High Court (along with Bombay and Himachal Pradesh High Courts) have granted local authorities the freedom to control or cull stray dogs based on municipal laws rather than strictly following ABC Rules.


Objectives of the Supreme Court’s Uniform National Policy:
Reconciling Conflicting Judgments: Some High Courts, like the Kerala High Court, have mandated strict compliance with the PCA Act and ABC Rules 2001/2023. In contrast, the Karnataka, Bombay, and Himachal Pradesh High Courts have permitted local authorities to operate under municipal laws. The Supreme Court aims to resolve these conflicting rulings by formulating a uniform policy.

Balancing Public Safety and Animal Welfare: The Supreme Court’s August 11, 2025, order directed the permanent relocation of stray dogs in Delhi-NCR to shelters, which contradicted the “capture, sterilize, vaccinate, release” principle of the ABC Rules 2023. This order sparked significant controversy. On August 14, 2025, Chief Justice B.R. Gavai referred the matter to a larger bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria.

Current Situation in Karnataka:In Karnataka, stray dog management is generally governed by the ABC Rules 2023, but local authorities have some flexibility under municipal laws. In cities like Bengaluru, incidents of dog bites (e.g., an attack on a 70-year-old in 2025) have raised public concern, prompting calls for stricter enforcement. The Supreme Court’s forthcoming national policy is likely to influence how Karnataka addresses this issue, particularly by resolving conflicts between local laws and ABC Rules.