NEW DELHI,13 Jan 2026: A bench of Supreme Court Justices comprising Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria heard the case of stray dogs in India. It completed the hearing on Tuesday. The matter will next be heard on January 20.
During Tuesday’s hearing, the bench rapped the Centre and states for failing miserably to implement the ABC rules. It warned to impose heavy compensation on governments for the failure and also said that dog feeders would be held liable for attacks.
The apex court also asked for accountability from those claiming to be dog feeders, telling them to continue their activity by taking the stray dogs to their homes.
Justice Sandeep Mehta slams a lawyer who called for a national adoption mission for dogs. “Incentivisation could be something as simple as sterilisation and vaccination,” he suggested.
To this, Mehta said, “Are you for real? A young counsel just showed us statistics of orphan children on the streets. Perhaps some lawyers could argue for adoption of those children. Since the year 2011, since I was elevated, these are the longest arguments I have heard. And till now, no one has argued so long for human beings.”
Lawyer, representing singer Mohit Chauhan, says the spirit of ABC rules in compassionate management of dogs and seeks recognition for individual feeders. “The spirit of ABC rules is compassionate management of dogs. In foreign jurisdictions, caregivers and dog feeders are recognised to be hand in hand with authorities. I just want recognition for individual feeders. Give us responsibility.”
One of the lawyers said that the existing rules are insufficient to solve the situation. “This Court has power to issue orders to solve a dangerous situation under article 142 and 32. There is a clear vacuum. If the existing rules do not solve the problem of dog bites there is clearly a vacuum,” the lawyer added.
The Supreme Court bench also pulled up dog feeders, saying they should be held responsible when dog bites and deaths happen. “And also liability to dog feeders. You take them to your house, keep them. Why should they be allowed to roam around, biting, chasing? The effect of a dog bite is lifelong.”
The bench told one of the lawyers, appearing for animal activists and dog lovers, that emotions seem to be only for dogs, during the hearing. “I am emotionally attached to human beings. It seems very elitist to make these arguments pertaining to one species. I recognise the issues that are before my lords. My lordships are confronted with a situation that parliament has been confronted with since 1950. The ABC rules are a result of parliament applying its mind,” lawyer Menaka Guruswamy replied to the bench.
Justice Nath said, “For every dog bite, death or injury caused to children or elderly, we are likely to fix heavy compensation on the states, for not doing anything. He also stressed on liability and accountability on those who are saying they are feeding dogs. “Better, they take the dogs to your homes. Why should dogs be littering around, biting and scaring people?” the judge asked.
Picture credit social media
