Mumbai: Animal activists challenge state orders on removal of stray dogs from sensitive areas

Mumbai: A group of animal rights activists on December 8 filed a petition before the Bombay High Court to challenge two state government resolutions (GRs) dated Nov 24, 2025, and November 27, 2025. These resolutions directed urban bodies to immediately remove stray dogs from sensitive areas like schools, hospitals, sports complexes, bus stands, and railway stations.The petition by Nandita Saigal and nine other animal activists including a renowned psychiatrist, Anjali Chhabria is scheduled for a hearing on Jan 5, 2026, before the Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar-led bench.The state, citing rising safety concerns, warned civic bodies that stray dogs found in these sensitive "high footfall" locations would be deemed an administrative lapse. The state directives followed orders recently passed by the Supreme Court over the rise in cases of strays attacking humans on the streets.The petitioners contend that the GRs contain provisions, directions, and consequences that were never contemplated, directed, or authorised by the SC. The GR mandates that captured dogs must be sterilised, vaccinated, tagged, and relocated to designated shelters, not returned to their spots. It also requires setting up helplines and fixed feeding points to manage public safety and reduce human-dog conflicts.Following the issuance of the GRs, several local authorities have acted in a manner that has caused distress among animal lovers across Maharashtra, prompting widespread concern and necessitating urgent judicial scrutiny. The petition, therefore, seeks judicial intervention to examine the GRs and their impact on stray dogs and citizens alike.The petition contends that the two GRs have resulted in a serious misinterpretation of the Supreme Court orders, leading to multiple illegal actions at the ground level, including arbitrary handling of stray dogs and harassment of animal feeders. The petition challenges the legality, validity, interpretation, and consequences of the GRs, particularly where they have led to actions contrary to animal welfare laws and established judicial principles.

Get a chance to win ₹5000 Amazon Voucher by taking part in India's Biggest Habit Index! Take the survey here