The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is planning to undertake euthanasia of aggressive and demonstrably dangerous stray dogs after the Supreme Court’s recent order upheld prioritisation of human safety.
A senior MCD official said a review meeting chaired by MCD Commissioner Sanjeev Khirwar is likely to be held on Thursday (May 20, 2026) to determine the course of action and assess infrastructure requirements for managing stray dog populations and shelters across the city.
In its Tuesday (May 19, 2026) order, the Supreme Court ruled that when the safety and lives of humans are weighed against the interests and welfare of sentient beings, “the constitutional balance must necessarily and unequivocally tilt in favour of the preservation and protection of human life.”
The court said authorities may, after due assessment by qualified veterinary experts and in accordance with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, take legally permissible measures, including euthanasia of rabid, incurably ill and demonstrably dangerous or aggressive dogs.
Officials said the civic body is planning to instate a step-wise mechanism before any decision on euthanasia is taken, with a monitoring committee comprising representatives from the MCD and the Delhi government’s animal husbandry department likely to be constituted in line with the Supreme Court’s directions.
“Just because someone says a dog has bitten does not mean it will be euthanised immediately,” a senior MCD official said.
He said dogs identified as aggressive or involved in repeated biting incidents will first be brought to an ABC centre for observation for around 10 days.
The official explained that aggressive behaviour among stray dogs can stem from several factors, including anxiety due to injuries, chronic illnesses, worm infestation, impaired vision, or protective behaviour in female dogs that have recently given birth.
As part of the proposed protocol, sedatives may be administered for 10 to 14 days to calm the strays and assess behavioural improvement.
“We will also assess under what circumstances the dog bit someone. If, despite treatment and observation, the dog continues to display aggressive behaviour and shows no signs of improvement, euthanasia may be carried out in the presence of two doctors,” the official said.
Under the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, incurably ill and mortally wounded dogs, as diagnosed by a team appointed by the Local Animal Birth Control Monitoring Committee, may be euthanised humanely by a qualified veterinarian through intravenous administration of sodium pentobarbital or any other approved method.
Officials said dogs suspected to be rabid would also be kept under observation. “Rabid dogs usually die within 10 days. The observation period helps determine the condition,” an official said.
The MCD on Tuesday (May 19, 2026) said it is ramping up sterilisation efforts as part of its broader stray dog management strategy. According to official data, 1,01,394 dogs were sterilised between April 2025 and March 2026.
Additionally, officials said it would seek land from the Delhi government to set up dog shelters in every zone in the city, in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions.
“To speed up the process of setting up dog shelters, the corporation is also considering executing some projects under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives,” an official said.
However, officials said several projects linked to dog shelters and ABC centres have been delayed due to interdepartmental issues and delays in the release of funds.
“In 2024-25, the budget for the Rohini and Usmanpur ABC centres for two years was allocated together to the engineering department, but work has still not started,” an official said.
The Supreme Court has also directed authorities to augment preventive infrastructure, particularly in institutional areas such as schools, hospitals, railway stations and sports complexes, where dog bite incidents have risen sharply.
MCD officials said the court’s directions had now cleared ambiguity regarding the relocation of stray dogs from sensitive public spaces.
Published – May 21, 2026 02:18 am IST
