New Delhi: Haryana has informed the Supreme Court that only 22% of stray dogs in Gurgaon district have been sterilised, raising concerns over public safety and compliance with animal control norms.
Gurgaon, which comprises five urban civic bodies, is home to an estimated 58,830 stray dogs, the highest in the state. According to a compliance affidavit submitted by the Haryana government on October 31, only 12,670 dogs have undergone the Animal Birth Control (ABC) procedure, which includes sterilisation, vaccination, deworming, and tagging.
The affidavit also highlighted figures from Nuh, Palwal, and Faridabad, where 80,830 stray dogs reside across 14 municipalities, of which 21,491 have been treated under the ABC program. Statewide, Haryana has reported 2,30,675 stray dogs across 87 urban civic bodies, with 60,812 dogs sterilised, vaccinated, dewormed, tagged, and released back into their original areas under the 2023 ABC Rules.
The Supreme Court is expected to issue directions to all states and Union Territories on November 7 regarding the regulation of feeding stray dogs in government institutions and other premises where employees interact with canines.
During the October 27 hearing, the Court noted that reports of stray dog attacks were being cited internationally, potentially tarnishing India’s image. The bench also criticized several states and UTs for failing to submit compliance affidavits as previously directed.
Faridabad’s civic body health officer, Dr Nitish Parwal, has estimated around 50,000 community dogs in the district. The Court had earlier directed chief secretaries of all states, except West Bengal and Telangana, to appear personally to explain delays. On Monday, the chief secretaries appeared and confirmed that compliance affidavits have been filed.
Haryana’s affidavit cited delays in receiving approval from the Animal Welfare Board and coordination challenges among municipalities as reasons for the slow progress in sterilisation efforts.
The matter continues to underscore the challenges faced by authorities in balancing public safety, animal welfare, and urban management.
