New Delhi, Jan 29 (NationPress) The Supreme Court has chosen to postpone its ruling regarding the management of stray dogs in public areas across India, following an extensive hearing involving all relevant parties.

A Bench composed of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria made this decision after listening to the final arguments from various state governments, the Central Government, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI).

The court has permitted all stakeholders to submit their written arguments within a week.

During the session, the AWBI raised concerns about inconsistencies in the data concerning stray dog sterilisation centres. The AWBI informed the Bench led by Justice Nath that while there were only 76 officially recognized sterilisation centres nationwide, data from several states indicated the presence of up to 883 centres, with many yet to receive formal recognition.

Worried about the reliability of sterilisation data and the allocation of designated funds, the Supreme Court instructed the AWBI to address all pending requests for the official recognition of sterilisation centres within a specific timeframe.

Previously, the apex court had listened to detailed discussions from a wide range of stakeholders, including dog enthusiasts, victims of dog-bite incidents, and animal rights advocates.

The suo motu proceedings have highlighted the challenges related to the enforcement of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, public safety issues from dog bite occurrences, and the necessity for a robust framework to tackle the stray dog dilemma across the nation humanely.

Earlier, in August 2025, a Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan had ordered municipal bodies in the Delhi-NCR region to immediately capture all stray dogs and transfer them to shelters.

Highlighting significant concerns regarding public safety and the threat of rabies, the Justice Pardiwala-led Bench characterized the situation as “serious” and stressed the urgent need for action to guarantee the safety of vulnerable groups including children, women, and the elderly on the streets.

The court directed the NDMC (New Delhi Municipal Council), the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi), and civic bodies in Noida, Gurugram, and Ghaziabad to ensure the streets are completely devoid of stray dogs, warning that any organization hindering their removal would face strict legal repercussions.

The court mandated these civic agencies to commence the collection of all stray dogs within their areas and relocate them to designated shelters.

The ruling regarding the relocation of stray dogs to shelters in the Delhi-NCR region ignited a backlash from various segments of society and was later adjusted by the three-judge Bench. The revised instructions shifted the emphasis to vaccination, sterilisation, and the release of dogs in accordance with the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules.