Delhi's big plan for stray dogs: microchips, rabies drive, and more

The Delhi government will microchip 10 lakh street dogs, regulate pet shops and roll out a state action plan on rabies as part of new animal welfare measures, officials said on Wednesday. The decisions were taken at a meeting of the Delhi Animal Welfare Board, chaired by development minister Kapil Mishra, at the Delhi Secretariat, reported The Times of India.

In line with the Supreme Court’s recent directive to states to frame street dog policies, the board decided that one million stray dogs across the city would be microchipped over the next two years in collaboration with UNDP. Mishra said the initiative would help strengthen rabies control and dog population management.

The board will also unveil a Delhi action plan on rabies ahead of World Rabies Day, with focus on preventing dog bites and digitising vaccination records. A citywide dog census and monitoring system will be implemented to generate accurate data.


The government has also made registration of pet shops mandatory. A special monitoring committee will oversee enforcement, while regional committees will be activated for local-level action. “All related rules about animal welfare will be implemented soon,” Mishra said.

The meeting also took up administrative and financial issues. Members proposed transferring funds from the Delhi Advisory Board for Animal Welfare to the Delhi Animal Welfare Board. It was also decided to set up a standing committee and sub-committees, recruit new staff, and approve expenditure for smooth functioning.

Mishra said the government was committed to ensuring adequate resources for animal welfare. “Our aim is to ensure that Delhi sets an example for the entire country in this field. If financial assistance is required at any level, Delhi govt will provide it on priority,” he said.

The board will also launch awareness programmes in schools with the education department, and constitute a monitoring committee for animal markets. Mishra remarked, “During the previous govt’s tenure, the Animal Welfare Board did not meet for several years. Today, this meeting has been convened to address all pending issues of the Board. All problems related to animals in Delhi will be resolved at the earliest.”

The Supreme Court, which earlier ordered that all stray dogs be rounded up and housed in shelters, recently modified its stance, ruling that non-rabid and non-aggressive dogs should not be confined but sterilised, immunised and released back where they were picked up. It also ordered a ban on public feeding of stray dogs, creation of designated feeding spaces, and directed that no individual or organisation obstruct municipal authorities from acting under the Animal Birth Control Rules.

The last dog survey conducted in 2016, covering four administrative zones under the then South MCD, recorded 1,89,285 dogs. The Delhi government now estimates the stray dog population to be at least 10 lakh.

With inputs from ToI