Supreme Court Dismisses Plea Seeking to Prevent Cruelty to Dogs in Animal Birth Control Centres
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The plea sought a direction to the AWBI "to take immediate and effective action to prevent and address the rapid increase in cruelty to dogs in animal birth control centres and shelters across the country, including by conducting regular inspections of such centres and by initiating action against organisations and individuals responsible for cruelty to animals".
By Pranjal Gupta
New Delhi, July 26: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear a petition that sought stronger action against the alleged cruelty faced by dogs in animal birth control (ABC) centres and animal shelters across India. The petition asked the court to direct the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to take effective steps to stop the mistreatment of dogs kept in these facilities.
It also requested the court to order the Central government, all states and Union Territories (UTs) to ensure that municipal bodies and local authorities do not appoint any animal welfare organisation to carry out animal birth control operations unless it has a valid Project Recognition Certificate (PRC) issued by the AWBI.
The petitioner argued that only organisations recognised by the Animal Welfare Board should be allowed to conduct sterilisation and vaccination programmes, as this would help maintain proper standards of animal care and reduce the risk of cruelty.
According to the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, no animal birth control programme for street dogs shall be conducted unless the local authority or animal welfare organisation has obtained a certificate of project recognition for conducting such a programme under the rules.
The counsel appearing for the petitioner told a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta about the project recognition certificate.
The counsel also referred to the top court's May 19 verdict which had passed a slew of directions, including asking the states and UTs to take time-bound steps for augmenting the infrastructure necessary for effective implementation of the animal birth control framework.
"Dismissed," the bench said.
The plea sought a direction to all animal welfare organisations that have not obtained renewal of their project recognition even after completing five years of recognition to immediately apply and obtain renewal from the AWBI.
It also sought a direction that all animal welfare organisations that have not obtained renewal of their project recognition from the AWBI should forthwith cease from conducting any animal birth control operations until they obtain valid renewal of their project recognition.
The plea sought a direction to the AWBI "to take immediate and effective action to prevent and address the rapid increase in cruelty to dogs in animal birth control centres and shelters across the country, including by conducting regular inspections of such centres and by initiating action against organisations and individuals responsible for cruelty to animals".
In a significant verdict delivered on May 19, the apex court allowed euthanasia of rabid, incurably ill, dangerous and aggressive dogs to curb threat to human lives, saying the right to live with dignity encompasses the right to move freely without the threat of harm from stray canines.
The top court had dismissed the petitions and applications for recall, modification of its November 7, 2025 order including directive on the relocation and sterilisation of stray dogs from institutional areas.
In its November last year order, the top court had taken note of an "alarming rise" in dog bite incidents within institutional areas like educational institutions, hospitals and railway stations, and directed the forthwith relocation of stray canines to designated shelters after due sterilisation and vaccination.
It had passed the directions in a suo motu case over the stray dog menace.
(With Inputs from news agency PTI)
