Months after SC ruling, a spike in Delhi’s animal welfare budget

Ayesha Christina Benn, Managing Trustee and CEO of Neighbourhood Woof, said it is a positive move, while expressing hope that resources are utilised effectively. “There is a huge problem with infrastructure in the city, and a lot needs to be done on that front alongside being compliant with the laws. It should involve people like us who work on the ground with dogs,” she said.

The renewed focus on animal welfare comes after the Supreme Court of India in August last year on July 28 took suo motu cognisance following a “very disturbing and alarming” newspaper report about the death of a six-year-old girl due to rabies. The court had directed municipal authorities to pick up and house all stray dogs in Delhi and parts of the National Capital Region in dedicated shelters within eight weeks.

However, in a later judgment, the apex court modified its order, calling it “too harsh”, and directed that dogs be returned to the areas from where they were picked up after sterilisation, deworming and vaccination, in accordance with the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has already proposed three shelters in its 2026–27 budget—one each in Dwarka Sector 29, Bijwasan and Bella Road.

The MCD currently carries out sterilisation and immunisation through 13 registered NGOs operating 20 Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres across Delhi, with each centre capable of housing between 80 and 200 dogs. A total of 54,623 dogs were sterilised and immunised between April and September 2025, according to an affidavit submitted by the civic body to the Supreme Court. Around 700 feeding points have also been identified across all 12 zones.

Gupta added that the government will also build 10 new cow shelters at a cost of Rs 14 crore in the coming financial year.