Public Safety and Compassion: Rethinking Our Stray Animal Policy”

 I rise today as a citizen who believes in balanced, humane, and culturally sensitive governance.

Recently, the Supreme Court directed that all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR be captured and confined to shelters. While I understand the concerns of public safety, I oppose this move for several reasons.

First, stray dogs are not the enemy. Many are part of our community fabric — they guard neighbourhoods, form bonds with local feeders, and, when managed through sterilization and vaccination, coexist peacefully with humans. The Animal Birth Control rules, which emphasise sterilize–vaccinate–release, were designed for this reason. To forcibly confine them in shelters risks their mental health, social disorientation, and overcrowding in already stretched facilities.

Second, this selective urgency puzzles me. In Hinduism, the cow is revered as “Gau Mata.” We worship her, we call her mother. Yet, across India, especially in urban centres, we see abandoned cows and calves wandering on roads — causing major traffic hazards, eating plastic waste, suffering injuries, and even dying in accidents. This is both a humanitarian crisis for the animals and a public safety concern for people.

Why is it that the judiciary moves swiftly on dogs — animals that are somewhere friendly and manageable — but remains silent on systematic management of stray and abandoned cattle? If the Court’s priority is public safety, then stray cattle, with their size and road presence, deserve equal if not greater attention.

Third, locking away a problem does not solve it. For dogs, the humane and scientifically backed path is proper sterilization, vaccination, and community engagement. For cows, it is strengthening gaushalas, enforcing laws against abandonment, and ensuring proper fodder and medical care.

As youth, our vision should be inclusive animal welfare — not reactive, selective measures. I urge that instead of creating mental prisons for community dogs, we demand comprehensive animal policy reforms that protect both people and the animals we share this country with — especially those we worship and those who silently guard our streets.