Tracker · Updated October 2026
Supreme Court stray dogs orders: every order in the suo motu case, what it requires and the deadlines (2025 to 2026)
The latest Supreme Court verdict on stray dogs is the judgment of 19 May 2026 in Suo Motu Writ Petition (Civil) 5 of 2025. It upheld the November 2025 order that removes stray dogs from schools, hospitals, bus stands and railway stations. It also ordered at least one working ABC centre in every district and allowed euthanasia of rabid or demonstrably dangerous dogs after veterinary assessment. High Courts now monitor compliance, and the Supreme Court next hears the case on 17 November 2026.
Key findings
- The Supreme Court took up the stray dog issue on its own on 28 July 2025, under the title City Hounded by Strays, Kids Pay Price.
- The two-judge order of 11 August 2025 carried 14 directions for Delhi-NCR, including shelters for about 5,000 dogs in six to eight weeks and no release of any dog.
- A three-judge bench changed course on 22 August 2025: sterilised and vaccinated dogs go back to their area, except rabid or aggressive dogs.
- The 22 August 2025 order banned feeding on streets, required feeding spaces in every municipal ward and made each intervener deposit Rs 25,000 (individuals) or Rs 2 lakh (NGOs).
- By 27 October 2025 only West Bengal, Telangana and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi had filed compliance affidavits, so chief secretaries of 34 states and UTs were summoned.
- The 7 November 2025 order added 16 lettered directions, covering highways and institutional areas, with deadlines of two, four and eight weeks.
- The 19 May 2026 judgment dismissed every application against the November order, upheld the AWBI SOP and handed monitoring to all High Courts.
- In the judgment the Court quoted 2.63 lakh dog bites and 17 deaths in Tamil Nadu in the first four months of 2026, from a news report.
- Chhattisgarh told its High Court in July 2026 that it had raised ABC centres from 6 to 34 and identified 2,593 feeding spaces.
- By September 2026 compliance cases were running in at least five High Courts, and Kerala's had impleaded all 1,212 local bodies in the state.
What is the latest Supreme Court order on stray dogs?
The latest order is the judgment of 19 May 2026, reported as 2026 INSC 506. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N V Anjaria delivered it. The Court dismissed every application that asked it to modify, recall or stay its order of 7 November 2025.
That means the November rules stand. Stray dogs must be removed from schools, colleges, hospitals, sports complexes, bus stands and railway stations. After sterilisation and vaccination they go to shelters, not back to the same campus.
On 25 May 2026 Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta refused an NGO's plea about Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's statement on eliminating stray dogs. They told the petitioner to go to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. On 27 July 2026 the same two judges dismissed a separate plea on cruelty in ABC centres. We found no later Supreme Court order up to 11 October 2026.
| Date | Bench | Type | What it did |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Jul 2025 | J B Pardiwala, R Mahadevan | Suo motu case | Court takes up a news report on a child's death after a dog bite |
| 11 Aug 2025 | J B Pardiwala, R Mahadevan | Order | Pick up all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR, build shelters, release none |
| 14 Aug 2025 | Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, N V Anjaria | Hearing | Matter moved to a three-judge bench; order reserved, no stay |
| 22 Aug 2025 | Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, N V Anjaria | Order | Release after sterilisation, ward feeding spaces, case extended to all states |
| 27 Oct 2025 | Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, N V Anjaria | Order | Only 3 affidavits filed; chief secretaries summoned for 3 Nov 2025 |
| 3 Nov 2025 | Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, N V Anjaria | Order | Dog bite victims may intervene without a deposit; AWBI made a respondent |
| 7 Nov 2025 | Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, N V Anjaria | Order | Remove dogs from institutional areas and cattle from highways |
| 27 Nov 2025 | Animal Welfare Board of India | SOP | SOP on dog bite prevention in institutional premises issued |
| 13 Jan 2026 | Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, N V Anjaria | Hearing | Bench warns of heavy compensation from states (oral remarks) |
| 29 Jan 2026 | Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, N V Anjaria | Hearing | Judgment reserved |
| 19 May 2026 | Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, N V Anjaria | Judgment | Pleas dismissed, SOP upheld, High Courts to monitor |
| 25 May 2026 | Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta | Order | Plea on Punjab CM's remarks sent to the High Court |
| 27 Jul 2026 | Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta | Order (related plea) | Plea on cruelty in ABC centres and shelters dismissed |
Counted by dogeats.in from the order texts. 11 Aug 2025: items I to XIV. 22 Aug 2025: items a to i. 7 Nov 2025: highway A to F plus institutional A to J. 19 May 2026: para 108 A to I plus para 111 A to G.
Show the numbers
| Label | directions |
|---|---|
| 11 Aug 2025 | 14 |
| 22 Aug 2025 | 9 |
| 7 Nov 2025 | 16 |
| 19 May 2026 | 16 |
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The case grew from one city to the whole country in under four weeks. The 11 August order covered Delhi and four NCR cities. On 22 August the Court made every state and Union Territory a party and pulled in similar cases pending in High Courts.
What did the Supreme Court order on 11 August and 22 August 2025?
On 11 August 2025 a two-judge bench ordered Delhi's government, MCD and NDMC, with Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad, to start picking up stray dogs from all localities. It said not a single dog picked up should go back to the streets.
The bench asked for shelters for about 5,000 dogs within six to eight weeks, CCTV in every shelter and at least two staff on duty at all times. A dog bite helpline had to start within one week, and dogs had to be caught within four hours of a complaint.
Eleven days later a three-judge bench called the no-release rule too harsh. Its order of 22 August 2025 kept the pick-up drive but put the ban on release in abeyance.
| Issue | 11 August 2025 (two judges) | 22 August 2025 (three judges) |
|---|---|---|
| Area covered | Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Faridabad | Delhi-NCR, then all states and UTs made parties |
| Release after sterilisation | No dog to be released | Released to the same area, except rabid or aggressive dogs |
| Shelters | Capacity for about 5,000 dogs in 6 to 8 weeks | Pick-up and shelter directions continue |
| Feeding | Not addressed | Dedicated feeding spaces in each ward; no feeding on streets |
| Helpline | For dog bites, within 1 week | Also for reporting feeding violations |
| Obstruction | Contempt warned | Prosecution for obstructing a public servant |
| Interveners | No deposit | Rs 25,000 per individual, Rs 2 lakh per NGO within 7 days; bite victims exempted on 3 Nov 2025 |
| Adoption | Allowed under the AWBI protocol of 17 May 2022, no re-release | Adopters apply to the municipal body; dogs tagged |
The deposits went into a fund for shelters and facilities under the municipal bodies. Those who did not pay within seven days could not appear further. On 27 October 2025 the Court accepted late demand drafts filed up to 30 October 2025.
Which states filed compliance affidavits, and why were chief secretaries summoned?
The 22 August order asked municipal bodies for full statistics on dog pounds, vets, dog catchers and vehicles. By the hearing of 27 October 2025, only three affidavits had come in: West Bengal, Telangana and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
The Court summoned the chief secretaries of all other states and UTs for 3 November 2025 at 10:30 am. With 28 states and 8 UTs, that was 34 of 36 governments. Reports of 31 October 2025 say the bench refused to let them appear online.
Source: Supreme Court order of 27 October 2025. The MCD also filed but is a municipal body, not a state or UT.
Show the numbers
| Label | states and UTs |
|---|---|
| Filed (West Bengal, Telangana) | 2 |
| Not filed, chief secretary summoned | 34 |
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The pattern repeated at a smaller scale later. In the 19 May 2026 judgment the Court said ABC centres were grossly insufficient and often short of staff, vets and equipment. It added that states could not plead money or logistics as a defence.
What did the 7 November 2025 order require for schools, hospitals and highways?
The 7 November 2025 order has two parts. The first reaffirms a Rajasthan High Court order of 11 August 2025. Authorities and NHAI must clear cattle and other stray animals from highways, run 24x7 patrols and display helpline numbers.
The second part covers institutional areas: government and private schools and colleges, hospitals including primary health centres, sports complexes, bus stands and railway stations. Municipal bodies must remove every stray dog found there and shelter it after sterilisation and vaccination. The dog must not return to the same place.
| Direction | Who acts | What is required | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | States and UTs through local bodies | Identify all schools, hospitals, sports complexes, bus stands, railway stations | 2 weeks (21 Nov 2025) |
| B | Heads of institutions, under the District Magistrate | Fencing, walls and gates to keep dogs out | Preferably 8 weeks (2 Jan 2026) |
| C | Each institution | Name a nodal officer and display the details at the entrance | Not fixed |
| D | Municipal bodies and panchayats | Inspect premises for dog habitats | At least once every 3 months |
| E | Municipal bodies | Remove dogs, sterilise, vaccinate, shelter; no release at the same spot | Forthwith |
| F | All government and private hospitals | Keep anti-rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin in stock | At all times |
| G | Ministry of Education | Awareness sessions on bite prevention and first aid | Not fixed |
| H | Stadium managements | Round-the-clock staff to keep dogs out | Not fixed |
| I | Railways, transport corporations, municipal bodies | Secure stations and bus stands; fix waste management | Not fixed |
| J | Animal Welfare Board of India | Issue SOPs for institutional premises | 4 weeks (5 Dec 2025) |
Computed by dogeats.in from the order texts (1 week = 7 days). The 4-hour catch rule of 11 Aug 2025 is not shown.
Show the numbers
| Label | days |
|---|---|
| Dog bite helpline (11 Aug 2025) | 7 days |
| Intervener deposits (22 Aug 2025) | 7 days |
| Identify institutions (7 Nov 2025) | 14 days |
| AWBI SOP (7 Nov 2025) | 28 days |
| Shelter report, Delhi-NCR (11 Aug 2025) | 56 days |
| Fencing of institutions (7 Nov 2025) | 56 days |
| Compliance affidavits (7 Nov 2025) | 56 days |
| Updated affidavits to High Courts (19 May 2026) | 80 days |
| First consolidated High Court report (due 10 Nov 2026) | 175 days |
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The AWBI met the SOP deadline. Its Executive Committee approved the SOP on 25 November 2025, and a copy circulated by Delhi University carries AWBI letter No. AC-02017/22/2025-AWBI dated 27 November 2025. Chhattisgarh's affidavit dates the AWBI communication to 28 November 2025.
What did the Supreme Court decide in the 19 May 2026 stray dogs judgment?
The judgment answers three groups of applications. It rejects the pleas against the November 2025 order and the challenges to the AWBI SOP. It then issues new directions after reviewing state compliance.
The Court held that Rule 11(19) of the ABC Rules, 2023, which requires release in the same locality, gives no absolute right of re-release. It does not apply to institutional or restricted-access premises. The Court also read the SOP's wider list of places, such as religious sites, parks and tourist spots, as within its orders.
| Direction | What it requires |
|---|---|
| A | States and UTs expand ABC capacity: sterilisation, vaccination, facilities |
| B | At least one fully functional ABC centre in every district, more where needed |
| C | Carry out the Court's orders in letter and spirit and follow the AWBI SOP |
| D | Decide on extending the orders to other high-footfall public spaces |
| E | Train staff, add vet services, strengthen vaccination, build shelters |
| F | Keep anti-rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin in all government medical facilities |
| G | NHAI to build a time-bound system to remove cattle and animals from highways |
| H | Euthanasia allowed for rabid, incurably ill or demonstrably dangerous dogs, after veterinary assessment and within the law |
| I | No FIR or coercive action, ordinarily, against officials acting in good faith |
- All High Courts must register a suo motu case titled In Re: Compliance with the directions issued by the Supreme Court in Suo Motu Writ Petition (Civil) No(s). 5 of 2025.
- A Division Bench should hear it, and may tailor the directions to local conditions without diluting them.
- Chief secretaries file updated affidavits before their High Court by 7 August 2026, in a 28-item format.
- High Courts send a consolidated report every four months; the first is due a week before 17 November 2026.
- Officials who do not comply face contempt, disciplinary action and tortious liability.
The judgment also deals with feeders inside campuses. Any animal welfare group or student body that feeds dogs in an educational institution must file an affidavit accepting tortious liability with the head of the institution. Without it, no feeding is allowed on campus.
What numbers did the Supreme Court cite on dog bites and stray dogs?
The judgment quotes several figures from news reports and from counsel. They are not findings by the Court, and they come from different sources and periods. Read them as the material placed before the bench.
The largest set comes from Tamil Nadu. The Court cited a report of about 2.63 lakh dog bites and 17 deaths in January to April 2026, against 6.25 lakh bites and 34 deaths in all of 2025. On those numbers, four months of 2026 already equalled 42.1% of the 2025 total.
Approximate monthly figures quoted in the judgment of 19 May 2026 from The Hindu. They add up to 2.63 lakh.
Show the numbers
| Label | dog bite cases |
|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | 62,000 |
| Feb 2026 | 62,000 |
| Mar 2026 | 71,000 |
| Apr 2026 | 68,000 |
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| Figure | Value | Period | Who put it before the Court |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tamil Nadu dog bites | 2.63 lakh, 17 deaths | Jan to Apr 2026 | News report (The Hindu) |
| Tamil Nadu dog bites | 6.25 lakh, 34 deaths | 2025 | News report (The Hindu) |
| Karnataka dog bites | Over 2 lakh, at least 25 rabies deaths | Jan to Apr 2026 | News report (News9) |
| Karnataka dog bites | About 2.3 lakh to nearly 5 lakh | 2023 to 2025 | News report (News9) |
| Delhi airport dog bites | At least 31 | 1 Jan to early Apr 2026 | News report (New Indian Express) |
| Sri Ganganagar dog bites | 1,840 | Three months, 2026 | Rajasthan news report |
| Stray dog population | About 2.5 crore to nearly 8 crore | Early 2000s to 2026 | Counsel supporting the orders |
| Dogs to relocate from schools | Over 1.5 crore | Estimate | Counsel against the orders |
| Food cost of sheltering | Over Rs 22,000 crore a year | Estimate at Rs 40 per dog per day | Counsel against the orders |
| Fall in dog bites, Dehradun | Over 68% | Under a structured ABC programme | Counsel against the orders |
Some of these numbers do not match official data. The national IDSP count for 2024 shows 4,80,427 dog bites in Tamil Nadu and 3,61,494 in Karnataka. The two sets differ in period and method, so compare them with care.
The cost figure is also worth checking. Rs 40 a day for 1.5 crore dogs comes to Rs 21,900 crore a year, a little under the Rs 22,000 crore that counsel cited. Our dog bite and rabies statistics and street dog population report set out the official series.
How are High Courts monitoring compliance, and what have states reported?
After 19 May 2026 the day-to-day work moved to the High Courts. Each state files its compliance in a 28-item format that runs from ABC centres and vets to feeding spaces and adoption.
Chhattisgarh offers one published example. Its chief secretary filed an affidavit that the High Court recorded on 20 July 2026. The state said it had 34 working ABC centres, against 6 up to 31 December 2025, and at least one in 32 districts.
Source: Chief Secretary's affidavit recorded by the Chhattisgarh High Court on 20 July 2026 (WPPIL 34 of 2026). Inspections counted up to 31 May 2026.
Show the numbers
| Label | institutions |
|---|---|
| Institutions identified | 51,160 |
| Nodal officer and notice board | 49,458 (96.7%) |
| Walls, fencing or gates done | 44,204 (86.4%) |
| Institutions inspected | 3,797 (7.4%) |
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| Measure | Up to 31 Dec 2025 | 1 Jan to 30 Jun 2026 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABC centres working | 6 | 28 | 34 |
| Stray dogs sterilised | 16,463 | 14,188 | 30,651 |
| Anti-rabies vaccinations of dogs | 30,253 | 20,109 | 50,362 |
| Dogs dewormed | 24,838 | 17,425 | 42,263 |
| Helpline complaints received | 4,856 | 4,189 | 9,045 |
| Helpline complaints resolved | 4,792 | 4,103 | 8,895 |
| Dog-catching vehicles | 28 | 11 | 39 |
| High Court | Case | Date | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chhattisgarh | WPPIL 34 of 2026 | 15 Jun 2026 | Chief secretary told to file a compliance affidavit within 3 weeks |
| Madras | WP 23656 of 2026 | 22 Jun 2026 | Notice to Tamil Nadu and Puducherry chief secretaries; detailed reports sought |
| Chhattisgarh | WPPIL 34 of 2026 | 20 Jul 2026 | Affidavit recorded; case listed for 22 Sep 2026 |
| Madras | WP 23656 of 2026 | 21 Jul 2026 | Court said no effective steps were visibly seen in Tamil Nadu |
| Delhi | Suo motu PIL | Reported 23 Jul 2026 | Compliance case registered |
| Bombay | Suo Motu WP 2 of 2026 | 14 Aug 2026 | State told to aggressively implement sterilisation; amicus appointed |
| Kerala | WP(C) 23376 of 2026 | 16 Sep 2026 | Monthly reports due by the 10th; 1,212 local bodies impleaded; next date 29 Oct 2026 |
The affidavit also reports 199 dog shelters with room for 4,340 dogs, holding 254 dogs. That is 5.9% of capacity. It lists 2,593 identified feeding spaces and Rs 33.98 crore approved for the ABC programme. The High Court listed the case again for 22 September 2026. We found no report of that hearing by 11 October 2026.
Other High Courts have started too. Kerala's court impleaded all 1,212 local bodies and wants a monthly report on euthanasia and committee compliance. The Madras High Court said in July 2026 that no effective steps were visibly seen in Tamil Nadu.
For how the national ABC effort compares, see our ABC sterilisation coverage tracker.
Has the Supreme Court ordered compensation for dog bite victims?
Not as a fixed amount. On 13 January 2026 the bench said in open court that it would likely fix heavy compensation on states for every dog bite death or injury. That was an oral remark, and the 19 May 2026 judgment contains no compensation schedule.
What the judgment does say is narrower. Officials who fail to comply may face tortious liability, and campus feeders must accept tortious liability in writing. Compensation still comes from state schemes and High Court rulings, which we compare in our dog bite compensation report.
| Group | Items in the format | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| ABC infrastructure | 6 | Districts, ABC centres, districts with a centre, vets, trained staff, new centres |
| Sterilisation and vaccination | 3 | Dogs sterilised and vaccinated in last 6 months, district-wise chart |
| Institutional areas | 6 | Institutions identified, removal, fencing, nodal officers, inspections, relocation statistics |
| Rabies care | 2 | Anti-rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin availability |
| Governance and money | 7 | SOP compliance, extension decision, coordination, monitoring, budget, gaps, timeline |
| Public services | 3 | Bite helpline, ward feeding spaces, adoption mechanism |
| Other | 1 | Any other relevant information |
The groups add up to the 28 items in the Annexure. Grouping is ours; the item wording is the Court's.
Frequently asked questions
What is the latest Supreme Court order on stray dogs?
The latest is the judgment of 19 May 2026 in Suo Motu Writ Petition (Civil) 5 of 2025. It kept the November 2025 order on institutional areas, upheld the AWBI SOP, required one ABC centre per district and moved monitoring to High Courts. A separate plea was sent to the Punjab and Haryana High Court on 25 May 2026.
Did the Supreme Court order removal of all stray dogs?
No. The 11 August 2025 order told Delhi-NCR authorities to pick up all stray dogs and release none, but the 22 August 2025 order put the no-release rule on hold. Dogs are sterilised, vaccinated and returned to their area, except rabid or aggressive dogs and dogs from institutional areas such as schools and hospitals.
Is feeding stray dogs banned by the Supreme Court?
Feeding on streets is not permitted under the 22 August 2025 order. Municipal bodies must create dedicated feeding spaces in every ward, marked with boards, and feeding is allowed there. Inside educational institutions, feeders must file an affidavit accepting liability, under the May 2026 judgment.
Did the Supreme Court allow killing of stray dogs?
The May 2026 judgment allows euthanasia only of rabid, incurably ill or demonstrably dangerous dogs. It applies where bite incidents are frequent, after assessment by qualified vets and strictly under the PCA Act, 1960 and the ABC Rules, 2023. It does not permit culling of healthy dogs.
What is the deadline for states under the Supreme Court stray dogs judgment?
States and UTs had to file updated compliance affidavits before their High Courts by 7 August 2026. High Courts send consolidated reports to the Supreme Court every four months. The first must reach the Court a week before the next hearing on 17 November 2026.
Which places must be kept free of stray dogs?
The November 2025 order names government and private schools and colleges, hospitals including primary health centres and medical colleges, sports complexes, bus stands and depots, and railway stations. The Court later accepted the AWBI SOP's wider list, which also covers places such as religious sites, parks and tourist spots.
Why did the Supreme Court ask dog lovers to deposit money?
The 22 August 2025 order required each individual intervener to deposit Rs 25,000 and each NGO Rs 2 lakh within seven days. Those who did not pay could not be heard further. The money is meant for shelters and facilities run by municipal bodies. On 3 November 2025 the Court said dog bite victims who intervene need not pay any deposit.
Where can I complain if my city is not following the Supreme Court order?
Start with your municipal body's dog helpline, which the orders require. The compliance case now sits in your state's High Court as a suo motu petition. Its title begins In Re: Compliance with the directions issued by the Supreme Court.
Methodology and limitations
We read the Supreme Court's own record of proceedings for 11 August, 22 August and 27 October 2025, downloaded from the Court's website. We also read the full judgment of 19 May 2026 (2026 INSC 506). The 7 November 2025 directions are taken from the extract reproduced in that judgment.
Hearings without a written order, such as 13 January 2026, come from legal news reports and are labelled as oral remarks. Direction counts, deadlines in days and percentages were computed by dogeats.in in Python from the order texts. Chhattisgarh figures come from the High Court order of 20 July 2026, which reproduces the chief secretary's affidavit. High Court monitoring entries come from LiveLaw and Bar and Bench reports of June to September 2026.
Sources
- Supreme Court of India: judgment of 19 May 2026, 2026 INSC 506 (signed PDF via LiveLaw), Dismissal of applications, 7 November 2025 directions, paras 108 and 111, cited figures, 28-item compliance format
- Supreme Court of India: record of proceedings, 22 August 2025, Suo Motu WP(C) 5/2025, Modified directions on release, feeding spaces, deposits and nationwide scope
- Supreme Court of India: record of proceedings, 11 August 2025, Delhi-NCR pick-up order, shelters for about 5,000 dogs, helpline and 4-hour rule
- Also consulted: Supreme Court of India: record of proceedings, 27 October 2025, Chhattisgarh High Court order of 20 July 2026, WPPIL 34 of 2026, AWBI: minutes of the 130th Executive Committee meeting, 25 November 2025, University of Delhi: SOP annexure, January 2026, Supreme Court Observer, 22 June 2026, Verdictum, 13 January 2026, Bar and Bench, 25 May 2026, The Week (PTI), 31 October 2025, ETV Bharat, 29 January 2026, Lok Sabha Unstarred Question 4870, DAHD, 1 April 2025, LiveLaw, 3 November 2025, Verdictum, 27 July 2026, LiveLaw, 21 July 2026: Madras High Court, LiveLaw, 14 August 2026: Bombay High Court, LiveLaw, 16 September 2026: Kerala High Court, Bar and Bench, 23 July 2026, Supreme Court Observer, 12 November 2025, SCC Online, 22 August 2025, Moneylife (Bar and Bench report), 11 August 2025, The Tribune, 13 January 2026, OpenCity copy of the 19 May 2026 judgment, LiveLaw, 22 June 2026 (Madras High Court), Business Standard, 25 May 2026.
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