SC reserves August 11 suo motto verdict, says, "Not closing stray dogs case today"

The Supreme Court on Thursday (August 14, 2025) reserved its verdict on an interim plea that demanded a stay on the suo motto order in the stray dogs case, stating that it is not closing the case but examining whether an urgent order or a stay is necessary. 

The apex court bench of Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta, and Justice NV Anjaria will further determine whether there is a need for an interim stay on the directions issued on the suo motto order on August 11. 

Ever since the order, several petitions have been filed related to the stray dog matter, along with some fresh pleas challenging the suo motto order passed by Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, that stated the round up of all stray dogs in Delhi NCR. After which, Chief Justice of India, BR Gavai, withdrew the case and slated it for hearing on Thursday. 

The bench strongly disapproved of the inaction of local authorities, which led to severe problems in the region. It said, "The whole problem is because of the inaction of the local authorities. Everyone who has filed for an intervention will have to take responsibility." 

In the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Delhi Government, said that no one is an animal hater, adding that nobody is calling for the dogs to be killed. But, they need to be removed from human habitation, due to safety concerns, especially for the children and the elderly. He also presented data to the SC bench, calling out 37 lakh reported dog bites in the country in a year. 

For the animal rights activists, S-G Mehta was quoted as saying, "There is a very loud vocal minority and a silent suffering majority. I have seen people posting videos of eating meat, etc, and then claiming to be animal lovers." 

While senior advocate and Independent MP Kapil Sibal said that the dogs taken away after the Supreme Court's order have nowhere to go and might injure one another when caged in overcrowded shelters. He also sought a direction that animals should not be picked up, and a stay must be granted, with proper time given to the filing of replies. 

Sibal argued, "Has the Municipal Corporation built shelter homes for dogs? Have the dogs been sterilised? Now, the dogs are being picked up. However, the order states that once sterilised, the stray dogs should not be left out in the community."  

The bench, however, questioned how dogs were collected already, if the order was uploaded on Wednesday evening. It further said that the matter was listed for urgent mention, and the top court cannot devote its time to this issue alone.