The Municipal Corporation (MC) of Chandigarh has initiated a large-scale operation to capture stray dogs across the city, a move that has ignited fierce opposition from animal welfare groups and volunteers. The drive, which began on Friday, is stated to be in compliance with a Supreme Court order from November 7, 2025, which mandates the relocation of stray dogs to shelters.
NGOs Protest Alleged Cruelty and Legal Violations
By Saturday, the action led to a significant protest outside the Municipal Corporation's Animal Birth Control (ABC) unit in Raipur Kalan, Makhanmajra. This facility is currently housing the captured dogs. Leading NGOs and volunteers from the Tricity gathered, raising serious concerns about the methods and legality of the drive.
Monica Sachdeva of the Furever Youth Foundation accused the MC of capturing healthy, vaccinated, and friendly dogs using inhumane methods. She claimed the operation was merely a show of compliance with the Supreme Court's directive. Sachdeva emphasized that the court's order specified dogs should only be kept in designated shelters, and until such shelters are built, dogs cannot be lodged. She pointed out that the MC itself admits it lacks designated shelters.
Echoing these concerns, Meenakshi Malik from Rab De Jeev NGO strongly opposed using the ABC unit as a shelter. She cited the ABC Rules 2023, which clearly define such units for dogs undergoing sterilization. Malik highlighted the additional complication of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) temporarily operating from the same premises to treat sick dogs, as its Sector 38 facility is under renovation. "How can they stuff healthy animals with sick ones?" she questioned, noting that the SPCA's functioning is already under scrutiny in a pending PIL before the Punjab & Haryana High Court.
Municipal Corporation's Defense and Legal Backlash
In response, Dr. Gaurav Lakhanpal, Veterinary Officer in charge of the MC's dog cell, defended the actions. He stated that the ABC unit is being used as a temporary shelter with a capacity for 150 dogs, and the drive will continue until instructed otherwise by senior officials.
However, volunteers challenge the urgency and timing of the captures. Payal, a volunteer from Manimajra, alleged that dogs are being caught at odd hours late in the evening and night, suggesting the MC is aware of the illegality of its actions.
The dispute has now moved to the courts. With the next Supreme Court hearing on the stray dog matter scheduled for January 7, a group of Chandigarh volunteers preemptively filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court on December 24, 2025. The petition challenges the MC's decision to relocate dogs to the non-designated ABC unit shelter.
Legal Grounds of the Challenge
The petition, filed under Article 226 by lawyers Sidharth Arora, Navraj Narang, and Nikhil Anand, argues that the MC's actions are unlawful. Advocate Siddharth Arora explained that to implement the Supreme Court's order, the MC requires a certificate of project recognition from the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) as per Rules 3 and 5 of the ABC Rules. The Chandigarh MC reportedly does not possess this certificate.
"The ABC and SPCA, which are both in shambles, are meant for sterilization and sick animals," Arora stated. He asserted that the MC's act of rounding up dogs without the proper infrastructure is a clear violation of legal standards and is solely for creating an impression of compliance with the top court's order.
The situation remains tense as the city awaits further judicial proceedings, with animal rights activists and municipal authorities locked in a conflict over the interpretation and execution of the Supreme Court's mandate on stray dog management.
