Mumbai Dog Lovers Brave Pouring Rain, Rally Against Supreme Court Strays Order

Rainwater gushed in thin rivulets along the cracked stone edges of Azad Maidan, pooling into shallow, muddy mirrors that reflected hundreds of umbrellas—bright reds, deep blues, polka dot patterns and floral sprays. It was August rain, the kind that doesn’t fall politely in drizzles but slams into the city with a relentless, drumming roar. A woman in her late fifties adjusted her scarf, her umbrella tilted at an awkward angle to shield herself and the mongrel pressed against her knees. Her voice rose above the rain as she shouted into the crowd: “We are not criminals for feeding them! We are their only family!”

Nearby, a young man in a black raincoat handed out flyers—ink smudged from the wetness, but the message still legible: 'Stop the Cruelty. Shelters are Not the Answer.'

Animal rights organisations and dog feeders in Mumbai have launched a series of protests against a recent Supreme Court directive ordering the removal of stray dogs from Delhi–NCR streets and their relocation to shelters within eight weeks. The court’s decision, aimed at curbing rabies cases and addressing public safety concerns, has sparked outrage among activists, who argue that the move is impractical and inhumane.

Three rallies are being organised in Mumbai as part of a nationwide protest movement. The first was held on August 14 at Carter Road, Bandra (West) at 11 am. The second took place today at Azad Maidan, opposite the BMC head office, at noon. A candlelight march is planned for August 17 in Andheri (West) from 5 pm. Participating groups in the August 14 protest included Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP), Youth Organisation in Defense of Animals (YODA), World for All and Dog Mantra. The August 17 vigil will be led by the Pure Animal Lovers (PAL) Foundation, along with several other animal welfare organisations.

Hema Chaudhary, who runs the NGO Bezubaan and has been active in protests and awareness campaigns since the COVID-19 pandemic, described the order as an example of human intolerance. “It is not animal versus humanity—it is human versus human,” she said. “Animals have feelings and emotions, but very few people understand. If you don’t want to feed them, fine—but let those who care for them do so. India is known for compassion, and we should not forget it.” Chaudhary accused political leaders and the judiciary of ignoring the trauma faced by people who care for stray animals and said the young generation’s protests gave her hope that authorities would be forced to listen.

Dinesh, founder of Canine Mitra Rescue, which has rescued and sterilised more than a thousand animals over the past four years, criticised the court’s process, noting that the suo motu order was based on a newspaper report and passed without hearing opposing arguments. He expressed hope that ongoing legal proceedings might at least lead to provisions for a more practical approach. He also  emphasised that municipal dog-catching drives have sometimes ignored ABC protocol. He pointed to incidents where dogs with visible ear notches—marking sterilisation—were still picked up, disrupting established packs and causing territorial disputes among remaining strays. Dinesh also raised concerns about the lack of post-operative care for sterilised animals, citing cases of untreated wounds and infections.

At the Azad Maidan gathering, protesters carried placards declaring, “Animals deserve the right to freedom, just as humans do.” Vijay Rangare, head of People for Animals (PFA–Mumbai), said, “Confining healthy dogs just because some people do not like them is cruelty. The best option is sterilisation and anti-rabies vaccination.”

Roshan Pathak of the PAL Foundation accused Delhi’s civic authorities of corruption and poor management of the dog sterilisation programme, which she said had led to the uncontrolled growth of the stray population. “In Mumbai, the BMC does regular sterilisations and vaccinations, and so we do not have rabies cases here,” she said.

BMC’s own records show the scale and difficulty of the problem. In 2022, the civic body estimated Mumbai’s stray dog population at approximately 1.64 lakh. Under its Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, the BMC sterilised 12,000 dogs and vaccinated 17,000 against rabies last year—numbers activists say are far below the scale required for meaningful impact. “Even if we sterilise 12,000 dogs a year, population control will be painfully slow, given the reproductive rate of unsterilised animals,” said one protester holding a placard that read: ‘Humans Can Share, Dogs Can Stay.’

Following the Supreme Court’s directive, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has already picked up 100 stray dogs and converted 20 animal birth control (ABC) centres into temporary shelters. Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh announced that an 85-acre plot in outer Delhi has been earmarked for housing stray animals, with plans to find additional land and expand shelter capacity. Implementation will be carried out in phases, starting with aggressive, rabies-infected, or sick dogs. The DMC also plans to expand the ABC centre in Dwarka and build larger facilities at Ghogha Dairy. Singh said the initiative would provide “big relief” to residents troubled by stray dog bites.

The Supreme Court bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan cited the increasing number of rabies cases, particularly those involving children, as a major public health concern. The judges ordered authorities to ensure all dogs are moved to proper shelters within the stipulated period. However, activists maintain that mass removal will cause unnecessary suffering and will not address the root causes of the issue. They continue to push for sterilisation, vaccination drives and public awareness campaigns as humane and effective alternatives.

With protests in Mumbai set to continue, the standoff between animal welfare advocates and the authorities shows no signs of easing.