Street Dog Issue Sparks Protest in Shillong Over Supreme Court Directive

On Sunday, dog lovers in Shillong, Meghalaya convened to protest against a Supreme Court directive mandating the removal of stray dogs from public spaces, including educational institutions, hospitals, and transportation hubs. The court’s order directs all states and Union Territories to relocate these dogs to designated shelters post-sterilization and vaccination, in accordance with the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, which fall under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

The demonstrators gathered at Khyndailad, displaying placards and chanting slogans urging an immediate halt to the mass removal and confinement of community dogs. Their signs included messages such as “Awara nahin hamara hai,” “Compassion and Co-existence,” “Save Indian dogs. ABC and Vaccination are important,” and “Animal Birth Control Rules are important.” A local dog lover emphasized that the protesters were regular citizens, not organized activists, and stated that blaming dogs for societal issues is misguided, as the real problem often lies with humans.

She expressed concern about the lack of accurate data on the dog population, arguing that without it, effective shelters cannot be constructed. She warned that removing the dogs could harm caretakers who feed and care for them. The speaker noted that typically, the dogs caught are friendly, while unfamiliar ones tend to be more aggressive, potentially increasing dog bite incidents. Drawing a parallel between the situation and the COVID-19 pandemic, she cautioned that congregating large numbers of dogs could lead to disease outbreaks.

Referencing successful dog population control measures implemented in Goa, Mumbai, and Sikkim—where campaigns focused on vaccination and sterilization have successfully lowered the stray dog population and rabies cases—she questioned why these effective strategies could not be adopted in Meghalaya. Another participant in the protest, who has dedicated years to rescuing and caring for a considerable number of strays, criticized the court’s proposed shelter solution, deeming it unfeasible given her hands-on experience of feeding, treating, and providing for stray dogs over the past nine years.