Supreme Court Slams States for Fudged Dog Sterilization Data, Vows 'Proper Dressing Down'
The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday expressed severe displeasure with most states for their failure to comply with its order to remove stray dogs from public institutions and implement the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules effectively. The court warned that these states "will get a proper dressing down" for their inadequate responses and questionable data.
Vague Affidavits and Eyewash Claims
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N V Anjaria reviewed affidavits submitted by various states and found the information provided to be vague, merely an eyewash, and containing fudged figures. The court emphasized that the responses lacked concrete details on critical aspects such as the number of stray dogs, dog pounds, ABC centers, and human resources deployed for removal operations.
Shocking Sterilization Claims from Jharkhand
The bench was particularly shocked by Jharkhand's affidavit, which claimed that nearly 1.9 lakh dogs were sterilized in the last two months. The Supreme Court pointed out that the state's manpower and infrastructure could not possibly achieve such a high number of sterilizations within such a short period. For context, Delhi typically takes a year to sterilize around one lakh dogs.
"It is all fudged up figures... All states make vague statements. It is an eyewash. They will get a proper dressing down," the bench remarked, highlighting the discrepancies in the data provided.
Alarming Dog Bite Statistics in Assam
Senior advocate Gaurav Agarwal, serving as amicus curiae, brought to the court's attention the deficiencies in the states' responses after examining each affidavit. The court was informed that Assam reported 1.66 lakh dog bites in 2024, yet the state has only one dog center to address the issue. Additionally, in January 2025 alone, there were 20,900 dog bites reported.
"It is astonishing. In 2024 there were 1.66 lakh bites. And, in 2025 only in Jan, there were 20,900. This is shocking," the top court said, underscoring the urgent need for effective implementation of the ABC Rules.
Background and Court Directives
The Supreme Court had issued an order on November 7 last year, directing states to remove stray dogs from the premises of public institutions, including:
- Educational institutions
- Hospitals
- Sports complexes
- Bus stands and depots
- Railway stations
The order also mandated the implementation of the Animal Birth Control Rules for vaccination and sterilization of stray dogs. However, the court's recent review revealed that most states have not taken adequate steps to comply with these directives, leading to the stern warning of a "proper dressing down."
The court's frustration stems from the lack of transparency and accountability in the states' efforts to manage the stray dog population and prevent dog bite incidents. The bench has called for more accurate and detailed reports from the states to ensure proper implementation of the ABC Rules and safeguard public health and safety.
