To address cruelty, govt to set up animal welfare bodies in all 13 districts

New Delhi: Delhi govt will set up Societies for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCAs) in all 13 revenue districts, with each body headed by the district magistrate (DM), Chief minister Rekha Gupta announced on Wednesday.The move, aimed at strengthening enforcement of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, follows the recent reorganisation of revenue districts and is intended to ensure more effective implementation of animal protection laws at the district level.“These SPCAs will function under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and include experts and members associated with animal welfare. The objective is to strengthen animal welfare at the grassroots level,” Gupta said.SPCAs are district-level statutory bodies responsible for implementing animal welfare laws. Their roles include acting on complaints of animal cruelty, coordinating rescue and treatment of injured or abused animals and overseeing shelters and animal facilities to ensure compliance with welfare standards. They also work with the police, municipal authorities and NGOs to respond swiftly to cases, supervise sterilisation and vaccination programmes for stray animals, spread awareness and maintain records of action taken.Gupta said that with DMs heading the district committees, cases of animal cruelty would be addressed more swiftly, with improved monitoring and coordination. “This will make the system more responsive and effective,” she said.At the state level, the Animal Welfare Board will serve as the apex body overseeing the framework. It will monitor implementation of the law and provide technical and financial support to district SPCAs to enhance their capacity.An official said the CM also announced that the separately functioning Delhi Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) will be dissolved once the new system is in place.“The framework will not only strengthen institutional mechanisms but also deliver tangible improvements in animal welfare across the capital. Protecting animals is a mark of a sensitive and responsible society,” said CM Gupta.