MCD catches, relocates 160 stray dogs in three-day drive following SC order

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has been working to capture stray dogs in and around Red Fort in light of the Independence Day celebrations, said MCD Standing Committee chairperson Satya Sharma.

She added that the drive to catch and relocate strays will intensify after August 15. “A total of 160 stray dogs have been picked up from the high-security area in a three-day drive, which started on Monday,” said Ms. Sharma.

The MCD panel chief added, “Till August 15, municipal employees and the non-profit organisations we work with for the capture and sterilisation of stray dogs have been asked to prioritise the capture of aggressive canines. This is because we currently have limited space to keep dogs.” Ms. Sharma said the civic body is looking at community centres, unused school buildings, and other suitable spaces to create dog shelters, and meetings are being scheduled with the Delhi Development Authority and the Delhi government to identify more spaces for the relocation of stray dogs.

A senior official said the municipality has identified two land parcels — three acres in Dwarka Sector 29 and 82 acres in Ghogha — that are available for setting up dog shelters. “Further deliberations are under way,” he added.

The official added that directions have been issued to animal birth control (ABC) centres, where stray animals are sterilised and immunised, not to release the current batch of captured canines.

The MCD runs 20 ABCs, each of which houses several dog kennels. However, seven ABCs are inoperative due to ongoing repair works, lack of funds and shortfall in employees. The ABCs put together can accommodate around 2,000-2,500 dogs, the official added. As per the municipality’s latest estimate, there are 10 lakh stray dogs in the national capital.

The Supreme Court had on August 11 directed the MCD and the Delhi government to capture stray dogs, detain them in pounds, and ensure that they are not released back into public spaces.

Activists thank CJI

Meanwhile, animal rights activists thanked Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai for agreeing to list a case regarding a May 2024 order to treat stray canines with compassion.

Ambika Shukla, who works with People for Animals, said, “We are deeply grateful to the CJI for taking note of this. His intervention could mean a stay on the relocation order until the matter is heard. We are hopeful that every side will be given a fair hearing before any legal decision.”

Former Union Minister Vijay Goel on Wednesday said he will soon convene a meeting of Delhi’s residents’ welfare associations at Talkatora Stadium to discuss further course of action in the wake of Monday’s order. “We urge the Centre to implement the order strictly,” he said. The former Delhi BJP chief, who has led a two-year drive for the relocation of stray dogs, has been demanding compensation for the victims of dog attacks.