'Dogs attack when they sense fear': SC raises alarm over stray dog attacks

The Supreme Court flagged rising stray dog attacks, saying dogs can sense fear and attack, adding that even pet dogs may behave the same and asked authorities to act on safety

The Supreme Court on Thursday continued hearing a suo motu case on the management of stray dogs, raising serious concerns about public safety, rising dog bite cases and poor enforcement of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules by local bodies across India, Bar and Bench reported.

 

A three-judge Bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria is examining the issue amid rise in dog bite incidents across the country.

 

During the hearing, the top court made observations on human behaviour around dogs. "The dog can always smell a human who is afraid of dogs. It will always attack when it senses that. We are talking from personal experience," the Bench said.

 

 

When a dog lover present in the courtroom disagreed by nodding her head, the Bench said, "Madam, don’t nod your head. If they know you are scared, there is a higher chance they will attack you. Even your pet will do it."

 

How the case reached the Supreme Court

 

The issue gained national attention last year after a Bench led by Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan ordered Delhi’s municipal bodies to round up and shelter stray dogs. The move triggered protests from animal rights groups.

 

That order was later modified by the present Bench, which directed that sterilised and vaccinated dogs should be released instead of being permanently housed in shelters.

 

In November 2025, the court asked state governments and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to ensure the removal of stray animals from highways across the country.

 

On Wednesday, the apex court criticised municipal authorities and local bodies for failing to properly implement the ABC Rules, noting the growing number of dog bite incidents.   

 

Lawyers warn of unintended consequences

 

Senior Advocate CU Singh told the top court that the sudden removal of dogs could create new problems. He said rodent populations tend to rise when dogs are removed abruptly, leading to other risks. He also warned that overcrowded shelters could spread diseases among animals, the news report said.

 

"There has to be a balance. Your lordships know what happened in Surat 20-30 years ago," Singh said.

 

Responding to this, the court said, "On a lighter note, dogs and cats are enemies. Cats kill rodents so we should promote more cats and less dogs. That would be the solution. Tell us how many dogs you want roaming around in hospital corridors?"

 

Territorial behaviour, feeding zones

 

The counsel in the case highlighted the difference between pet dogs and strays, warning that poorly planned actions could worsen conflicts.

 

“We are not suggesting that dogs have to be done away with. But the scheme of the act has to be understood in the right perspective,” one counsel told the court.

 

Another lawyer pointed to the territorial nature of community dogs. “The basic problem is that dogs are territorial. Every 200-300 metres their territory changes,” the counsel said, adding that unregulated feeding zones could increase friction between dogs and residents.

 

Students cite ‘IIT model’-like success at DU

 

The court also heard submissions from lawyers representing students of the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, the news report said.

 

“We have been sterilising at our own expense. We take them out of the campus, we get them vaccinated, sterilised and bring them back,” the counsel said.

 

When the Bench asked whether the dog population had increased, the counsel said, “No. It has stayed the same. We have had no dog bite incident in CLC in the last 10 years. We have controlled the situation in DU.”