By Aparna Rajagopal, Animal Rights Activist Based in New Delhi
I have been watching with anguish the reactions to the Supreme Court’s recent judgment on stray dogs. For me, this debate is not just about compassion for animals or love for dogs.
It is about who we are as a society, and how quick we are to control, interfere, and upset the balance of the world we live in—only to land in a crisis of our own making.
What hurts most is that for decades, governments at every level have never put in place a long-term, humane, and sustainable programme to manage street dog populations.
Delhi, our own national capital, doesn’t have a single proper government-run shelter, ambulance, or hospital for animals.
At the first sign of inconvenience—be it the Commonwealth Games or a stray animal in a government office—private agencies are called to do the job.
It feels absurd that what we fail to do with murderers, rapists, and criminals, we freely do with voiceless beings who cannot articulate their rights.
And let’s be honest—if we can’t care for humans in vulnerable spaces, how will we ever care for animals?
Step into our jails, juvenile homes, women’s shelters, unregistered orphanages, or even gaushalas, and you will find despair.
Why should I believe that new dog shelters, rushed into existence by this order, will be any different?
The court has given eight weeks. Eight weeks to fix decades of apathy. How is that even remotely possible?
ABC—Animal Birth Control—programmes have always been half-hearted, sporadic, outsourced, and unscientific. Yet, when done properly, they work.
Jaipur showed it. Goa showed it. With strategy, resources, and community participation, the problem can be solved humanely in a matter of years.
But our priorities have never been in the right place. We spend crores subsidising lobbies—automobiles, construction, fertilisers—while the Yamuna continues to be a drain, our air turns poisonous every winter, roads remain cratered, and crimes against women and children keep climbing.
Where is the outrage there? Why does it only flare up with dogs?
If we truly care, the government should start by regulating the breeding and sale of fancy imported breeds and encourage adoption of community dogs.
Municipalities must run well-planned sterilisation and vaccination drives.
Veterinary care needs a massive upgrade. Our animal laws must be stricter, with penalties for cruelty and abandonment.
And yes, we must build shelters—but humane ones, with public-private partnerships, incentives for corporates, and involvement of those who have been working silently on the ground.
Because here’s the truth: for years, private citizens have been doing the work municipalities failed to do.
I have personally sterilised and vaccinated the community dogs in my colony, ensuring they don’t cause problems.
My children have grown up knowing every street dog in our neighbourhood, rescuing and feeding them when they can.
We are not unique—there are countless unsung individuals and small groups across India doing this with meagre resources.
And what have we learned from this? That dogs are not the monsters we make them out to be.
They are lazy creatures who mostly want a meal and a sunny spot to nap in. Hunger makes them aggressive. Unsterilised females cause fights.
But once neutered and well-fed, they are too lazy to chase even their shadows. If you don’t believe me, walk through Khan Market.
You’ll see neutered, vaccinated dogs sprawled peacefully across the pavements, oblivious to the crowds.
Yes, dog bites happen. Yes, packs exist. But for every one problem animal, there are a hundred that wag their tails in friendship, even when they have no reason to trust us.
The bigger issue is our own mindset. We only react when tragedy forces us. Until a bridge collapses, we don’t talk about corruption.
Until a plane crashes, we don’t talk about air safety. Until Nirbhaya, we didn’t talk about rape. Until a disaster strikes Uttarkashi, we ignore the fragility of the Himalayas.
The stray dog debate is no different—we wait for a crisis to wake us up.
Let’s be clear: we can’t blame the dogs.
It is we who have gone astray—forgetting that the earth was never meant to exist only for us.
(Views Expressed as above are her own)
RESPONSES:
This is an important and burning issue these days.
In nature, anything that becomes excessive or becomes harmful and poses a threat to human beings, needs to be removed.
Many decades ago, in South African countries, when the elephant population increased, wildlife managers had to cull hundreds of them from helicopters.
Similarly, man-eating carnivores which become hazardous in nature are also disposed of under the orders of the Chief Wildlife Warden of State.
However, the case of stray dogs is different.
There are Two types of stray dogs: those that roam around in streets but do not harm anyone, and those that attack and devour weak individuals.
In most cases, we ourselves are responsible for this menace , especially women, who discard sanitary pads that dogs eat with relish.
Once they develop a taste for it, they become more aggressive in their behaviour.
In cold desert regions, this problem becomes more severe during the off-season when hotels and restaurants are closed, and hundreds of these stray dogs are forced to scavenge for food.
The situation becomes even more dire when these dogs attack and kill children and wild animals.
Considering all this, sterilization of these stray dogs is essential. On the other hand, dogs that attack human beings need to be removed.
This is my personal opinion.
-BS RANA(IFS) President Save Lahaul-Spiti Society, HIMACHAL PRADESH.
