Protests In Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata Against Street Dog Removal Order
Animal lovers, veterinarians, public-health experts and civil society members gathered at Jantar Mantar in Delhi to protest a recent directive by the Supreme Court of India ordering the removal of street dogs from public spaces.
Similar demonstrations unfolded simultaneously in more than 50 cities, including Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram.
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Protesters assembled under the banner “Do or Die,” urging authorities to pause what they described as mass removal and confinement of community dogs ahead of the court’s next hearing scheduled for January 7.
Concerns Over Science and Public Health
Participants argued that the blanket removal of street dogs lacks scientific backing and could undermine public safety rather than improve it.
These self-proclaimed “dog lovers” protest at Jantar Mantar against the Supreme Court’s order to remove strays from public spaces.
— Oxomiya Jiyori 🇮🇳 (@SouleFacts) January 4, 2026
I wonder—if each of them had to shelter 50 stray dogs in their own homes for a year, with food provided by the government, would their certainty… pic.twitter.com/Vml4l1cLKW
According to experts present at the protest, large-scale confinement threatens to weaken rabies-control efforts, disrupt local ecosystems and place a disproportionate burden on low-income communities that often coexist with community dogs.
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Placards at the protest carried slogans such as “Pollution hatao, pashu nahi” and “Every life matters,” reflecting the demand for solutions rooted in compassion and data, not fear.
Debate Over Animal Birth Control Programme
At the heart of the protest lies the implementation of the Animal Birth Control and Anti-Rabies Vaccination (ABC-ARV/CNVR) programme.
Specialists pointed out that the programme itself is grounded in global best practices, but its rollout in most Indian states has remained patchy and underfunded.
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Affidavits submitted by state governments reportedly show sterilisation and vaccination coverage far below international benchmarks.
Protesters stressed that calling this a “failure of ABC” misrepresents the issue, as the policy has never been executed at the scale required to deliver results.
Misinformation and Its Impact
Activists also flagged the role of misinformation in shaping public opinion and judicial response.
They cited a media report that initially linked a child’s death to rabies, a claim later contradicted by official records.
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Despite the correction, the early narrative, they said, triggered panic and influenced sweeping policy decisions affecting millions of animals and people.
Open Letter From Public Figures and Experts
More than 2,000 citizens from across the country have endorsed an open letter raising concerns about the proposed “mega-shelter” model for relocated dogs.
Signatories include filmmaker Mira Nair, actor Swara Bhaskar, journalist Mark Tully, and theatre personality Dadi Padamjee, along with doctors, veterinarians, scientists and caregivers.
The letter warns that large shelters could lead to ecological imbalance, heightened disease risk and a financial burden running into thousands of crores, without clear evidence of improved public safety.
Call for Humane, Evidence-Based Governance
Speakers at the Delhi demonstration—including public-health professionals, animal welfare advocates and community representatives—called for an immediate halt to mass removals.
They demanded meaningful hearings before the apex court involving veterinarians, epidemiologists, ecologists and animal-behaviour experts.
Musicians Mohit Chauhan and Rahul Ram also joined the gathering in solidarity, underscoring the breadth of support for a humane approach.
“This is not a protest against public safety,” a participant said. “It is a call to protect people and animals alike through science, accountability and compassion.”
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