Delhi Police detained animal rights activists, rescuers, caregivers, and dog lovers on Monday during a protest at India Gate. They were demonstrating against the Supreme Court’s order directing the Delhi government to move all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR to shelters within eight weeks.
Animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi spoke on the Supreme Court's order. She said, "This judgment is a suo motu case, which means nobody complained; the judge took it up on his own. We were expecting something like this anyway." Gandhi added that following the order would mean rounding up about three lakh dogs in Delhi and placing them in shelters. She said the Delhi government would need 1,000 to 2,000 centres, as too many dogs together would fight.
She explained, "They would first need land, then construct facilities within eight weeks, costing at least Rs 4-5 crore. They would need caretakers, feeders, and watchmen to prevent escapes." Gandhi said the order lacks rational thought and stems from anger. She noted the order is based on a newspaper report of a child killed by dogs, but the family confirmed the child died of meningitis.
The Supreme Court bench directed authorities to "pick up dogs from all localities and shift them to shelter homes. For the time being, forget the rules." The court also ordered "immediate steps to take care of the menace of dog bites leading to rabies." It said the directions are issued in larger public interest. The court added that children should not fall prey to stray dog bites leading to rabies under any circumstances.
During the hearing, the bench criticised animal rights activists. The judges asked if these activists could bring back those who have already died from rabies caused by dog bites. The court also warned of strict action against anyone who obstructs the removal of stray dogs.