MCD to identify land, deploy vet teams for dog shelters, says Mayor

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will construct dog shelters in all 12 civic zones and will set up a dedicated helpline for residents to report incidents involving stray dogs, Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh said on Thursday. The process of the dog shelter plan has been initiated ahead of the Supreme Court’s order on stray dog relocation in Delhi-NCR.

However, MCD currently has no dedicated shelters for stray dogs.

A MCD sub-committee headed by Sunder Singh, the deputy chairperson of the Standing Committee of the civic body, will oversee the shelter plan, which involves identifying land, deploying veterinary teams, and arranging funds.

“It’s a long process, but we are committed to implementing the court’s order while ensuring humane treatment of animals,” the Mayor said. He refused to comment on the August 11 Supreme Court order.

In 2025, Delhi has already recorded 26,334 dog bite cases, with 9,920 at MCD hospitals and 15,010 at its anti-rabies vaccination (ARV) centres, while over 68,000 dog biting incidents were reported last year, according to the MCD data. Currently, the MCD sterilises and vaccinates about 10,000 dogs monthly, and has 5,471 anti-rabies vaccine doses and 3,736 anti-rabies serum doses in stock.