Desk Correspondent , New Delhi - In a decisive move to counter the "deeply disturbing" rise in dog-bite incidents nationwide, the Supreme Court of India on Tuesday firmly refused to modify its November 2025 directives mandating the permanent removal of stray dogs from high-footfall institutional areas. A three-judge bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria dismissed all modification applications, clarifying that rounded-up dogs cannot be released back into spaces like schools, hospitals, airports, and railway stations, even after undergoing sterilisation. Asserting that the right to life with dignity encompasses living without the constant threat of animal attacks, the apex court also authorised civic authorities to employ legally permissible measures, including euthanasia, for rabid or dangerous dogs to effectively protect human life.

The court heavily penalised the historical slackness in urban governance, pointing out a "discernible absence of efforts" by state governments to scale up infrastructure under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) framework in proportion to the burgeoning canine population. Highlighting harrowing statistics—such as over two lakh dog-bite cases recorded in Tamil Nadu in just four months—the bench warned that any non-compliance with its directives would immediately invite strict contempt proceedings, disciplinary actions, and tortious liability against defaulting states. To ensure swift, unhindered enforcement on the ground, the bench uniquely shielded municipal officials from frivolous FIRs or coercive legal actions while executing these safety mandates.

To secure long-term systemic compliance, the Supreme Court ordered all states and Union territories to establish at least one fully functional, well-equipped ABC centre in every district and ensure an uninterrupted supply of anti-rabies vaccines in government hospitals. Furthermore, all high courts across the country have been directed to initiate *suo motu* proceedings to actively monitor local implementation, with state chief secretaries required to submit periodic progress reports. This landmark ruling effectively suspends the traditional catch-neuter-vaccinate-release model for institutional public zones, transforming the ongoing proceedings into a rigorous, mandatory nationwide audit of stray dog management and civil administrative accountability.