Protest in Front of Ram Mandir

People for Animals (PFA), a national-level animal welfare organisation, staged a protest today in front of the Ram Mandir, Bhubaneswar. The demonstration opposed the recent two-bench Supreme Court verdict directing the relocation of community dogs from Delhi NCR. Protesters held placards and raised slogans under the banner “Animal Rights India Unites”, demanding the reversal of the order.

Conflict with Existing Guidelines

According to animal welfare activists, the ruling violates earlier Supreme Court judgments as well as the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2023 issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India. The rules, aligned with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, clearly state that sterilisation and immunisation are the only effective methods to control the stray dog population and prevent rabies. Implementation of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme is the responsibility of local municipal authorities.

Three-Judge Bench Review

Animal welfare organisations have also welcomed the intervention of a three-judge Supreme Court bench that has already flagged failures of local authorities in executing the ABC programme. This larger bench has kept the matter under review, recognising that relocating lakhs of community dogs in Delhi NCR is neither practical nor financially viable, requiring massive manpower, land, and resources that the Delhi government cannot provide.

Nationwide Opposition to the Verdict

The two-bench order has sparked opposition across India, with animal welfare groups, feeders, caregivers, and animal lovers uniting against the relocation move. They argue that such a measure would not only harm the animals but also create chaos in implementation, without addressing the root causes of rabies and dog overpopulation.

Call for Government Accountability

Protesters in Bhubaneswar urged the Supreme Court to issue fresh directions to ensure strict enforcement of sterilisation and vaccination under the ABC (Dogs) Rules, 2023. They also demanded that governments hold local authorities accountable for failure to implement these measures.

Successful Models in Other States

Activists pointed out that states like Goa, Sikkim, and Puducherry have successfully controlled stray dog populations and made significant progress toward becoming rabies-free by effectively executing sterilisation and immunisation drives. They questioned why other states have failed to replicate these models despite clear WHO recommendations and government directives.

Protecting Both Animals and Humans

The protesters emphasised that prioritising sterilisation and vaccination of community dogs is not only an animal welfare issue but also a crucial public health measure. According to WHO reports submitted to the Government of India, successful implementation of the ABC programme would reduce rabies deaths and safeguard human lives while ensuring humane treatment of community dogs.

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