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New Delhi: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Monday informed the Supreme Court through an affidavit that, for giving shelter to aggressive, ferocious, and rabies-affected dogs, a 3-acre land has been identified in Dwarka, and it is expected that 1,000 to 1,500 dogs can be housed in the proposed sprawling permanent shelter. The special 3-judge Bench of the SC, headed by Justice Vikram Nath, hearing the stray dog menace case, had on August 22 refused to stay its direction to pick up stray dogs from the streets, but ruled that the strays won’t be shut away forever. The dogs, after being sterilised, immunised, and vaccinated, are to be released in the same locality as per the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023. The SC had said dogs afflicted with rabies and aggressive ones shall not be released and shall be permanently housed in dog shelters. The court also prohibited feeding of stray dogs in streets and public places, said the affidavit filed by Dr. Suresh Kumar, Deputy Director (Veterinary Services), Rabies Control Programme of MCD. In its affidavit to the court, the MCD mentioned, "That in compliance with the court's direction to establish dog shelters/pounds for aggressive, ferocious, and rabies-suspected dogs, the MCD has identified approximately 2.5 to 3 acres of land at the ABC Centre, Sector-29, Dwarka, for development of a permanent dog shelter with capacity for 1,000 to 1,500 dogs. The Chief Engineer, Najafgarh Zone, has been instructed vide a letter to initiate work for setting up the shelter. In addition, the MCD operates 20 ABC Centres, and expansion work is underway at five centres to increase kennel capacity to accommodate more dogs." MCD also informed the SC that it sterilised and immunised 54,623 stray dogs during the period between April 2025 and September 2025. The civic body further mentioned that has identified 292 locations for designated feeding points for stray dogs in 80 municipal wards out of 250. Committed to Comply with SC Directions, Says MCD The municipal corporation, in its affidavit, reiterated its unwavering commitment to comply with the directions issued by the court and to ensure that all measures relating to the capture, sterilisation, immunization, sheltering, and feeding of stray dogs will be implemented in a humane, lawful, and effective manner in accordance with the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023. It assured the court that continuous monitoring, periodic review, and timely reporting shall be undertaken to achieve the objectives set forth by this court, so as to safeguard both public health and animal welfare within the National Capital Territory of Delhi. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Delhi and around the world.
