Rahul slams SC order on stray dogs: 'Cruel, shortsighted’

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has responded to the Supreme Court directive to remove all stray dogs from the Delhi-NCR region to shelter homes by calling it “a step back from decades of humane, science-backed policy”.

“These voiceless souls are not ‘problems’ to be erased,” said Rahul in his post on X on Tuesday (August 12).

‘Cruel, shortsighted’

The Leader of Opposition said, “blanket removals are cruel, shortsighted, and strip us of compassion”.

He insisted that shelters, sterilisation, vaccination, and community care can keep streets safe - without cruelty.

The Congress leader said we can ensure that public safety and animal welfare go hand-in-hand.

Also Read: SC directs shifting of Delhi stray dogs to shelters, warns against interference

PETA, animal activists oppose SC order

Rahul’s response to the SC order came after PETA India and animal activists, including former union minister Maneka Gandhi, opposed the court’s directive, saying it was “not scientific or feasible”, and “financially-unviable”.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) argued that communities think of neighbourhood dogs as family, and that displacement and jailing of dogs is not scientific and has never worked.

“Instead of wasting time, effort, and public resources on ineffective and inhumane displacement drives, an effective sterilisation programme is still the solution and urgent need,” said PETA.

PETA urged the closure of illegal pet shops and breeders, and encouraged adoption of dogs.

Also Read: Why PETA, animal activists are protesting SC order to 'cage' stray dogs

Maneka Gandhi warned that removing stray dogs could create new problems.

“Within 48 hours, three lakh dogs will come from Ghaziabad, Faridabad because there’s food here in Delhi. And once you remove the dogs, monkeys will come on the ground...I’ve seen this happen at my own house. In Paris in the 1880s, when they removed dogs and cats, the city was overrun with rats,” she said, calling dogs “rodent-control animals”.

SC order

The apex court, terming the stray dog menace “extremely grim”, had ordered the Delhi government and civic bodies to start picking up strays from all localities and keep them in shelters, warning of strict action against anyone obstructing the drive.

Also Read: Maneka Gandhi slams SC order on stray dogs: 'Impractical, financially unviable'

The Supreme Court directed the Delhi government and civic bodies to immediately create dog shelters, and to report to it on creation of such infrastructure within eight weeks.

(With inputs from agencies)