India's top court allows release of picked-up stray dogs in Delhi after sterilisation

A woman holding a dog as she and other animal lovers attend a protest rally, after India's top court last week ordered authorities in the capital Delhi and its suburbs to relocate all stray dogs to shelters within eight weeks, in Chennai, India, on Aug 17, 2025. - Reuters

NEW DELHI: India's Supreme Court directed on Friday (Aug 22) the release of stray dogs picked up in Delhi and its suburbs after sterilisation and immunisation, modifying an earlier order and widening the scope of the case to ensure a nationwide policy on such strays.

Animal lovers had appealed against the court's order this month to move all stray dogs to shelters in the area, following media reports of a rise in the number of cases of rabies, especially among children.