Shashi Tharoor joins stray dog debate after SC order: 'Flaw in our system'

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday, August 13, participated in the debate on the stray dog menace, saying it was not the lack of resources but the willingness or the lack of it and the ability of the civic bodies to perform the task of rounding up and neutering the animals, which was causing the problem.

The leader spoke on the matter two days after the Supreme Court observed that dog bites had led to an “extremely grim” situation and sought immediate capture of the dogs in Delhi and the National Capital Region and putting them in dedicated shelters in eight weeks’ time. It also put a strict prohibition on releasing them back.

A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan asked authorities to set up shelters for around 5,000 dogs within six to eight weeks, with plans to expand gradually.

Also read: Got 2,800 dogs killed to make kids safe, says Karnataka MLC

'Give funds to animal welfare groups'

Stressing that it was important to protect people while being humane to dogs, the veteran Kerala parliamentarian said in a post on X, “…one point no one mentions is that the flaw in our system is not lack of resources, but the unwillingness or inability of municipalities to perform the task of rounding up and neutering stray dogs, even when funds have been provided. These funds are never actually spent where needed — in making the arrangements that the SC, in understandable exasperation, has now decreed.”

He added that the funds could instead be provided to animal welfare groups and sincere NGOs with a track record of sheltering animals. He said those organisations are more likely to implement the ABC (animal birth control) programme than the municipalities.

Also read: India’s stray dog crisis: Why SC's new directive is impossible to implement

Tharoor's post came in response to a tweet from advocate Ashutosh Dubey, who disagreed with Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale over requesting the Chief Justice of India to stay the apex court's order.

Advocate Dubey supports SC order

According to Dubey, the Supreme Court used its constitutional powers under Articles 32 and 142 "to balance public safety with administrative responsibilty". He refused to call it "arbitrary" and said it is a judicial response to repeated failures by local authorities to rein in rabies-related deaths and attacks, despite the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960; Delhi Municipal Corporation Act; and the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001 and 2023 being in place.

Also read: Our streets are meant for walking, not for dogs

He said the apex court's observations were in alignment with Article 21 rights not only of animals but also of citizens, particularly children and the elderly, who are at risk.

Dubey is the head of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Maharashtra social media legal and advisory department.

Tharoor called Dubey’s post a thoughtful response” to a problem that threatens ordinary citizens in every city.