The new Supreme Court order on stray dogs last Friday addresses the concerns of both animal lovers and the large population fearful of them: It doesn’t stop the authorities from rounding up the strays, nor does it allow them to release the dogs before vaccination and sterilisation. No one can feed strays anywhere other than designated spots, and the government will have to set up dog shelters on a large scale. The apex court orders are now applicable throughout the country.

August 26 is observed as International Dog Day. It raises a pertinent question whether the apex court’s direction acts as a panacea against the problems associated with stray dogs. But, before we discuss the issue, let’s look at the prevalent situation.

A bright morning last Wednesday took a dark turn. While Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta was holding a public grievance meeting, a man, yelling and waving some papers, charged at her. The alert security personnel caught him. Inquiries revealed that the man, Rajesh Bhai Khimji, was from Rajkot, Gujarat. His mother said he was an animal lover and was enraged by the Supreme Court decision on removing stray dogs from........

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