The stray dog debate has now reached a legal and moral crescendo. The Supreme Court’s earlier directive to round up all strays in the Delhi-NCR within eight weeks and shift them permanently to shelters ignited a fierce backlash. On Thursday, a three-judge bench of the apex court reserved its order on petitions seeking a stay ~ a pause that underlines how complex, emotive, and politically charged this issue has become.

Public sentiment is sharply divided, with compassion for animals clashing against urgent calls to protect vulnerable children and elders from harm. On one side is the government, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, framing the conflict as a clash between a “vocal minority” of animal lovers and a “sil ent, suffering majority” of citizens. His argument rests on public safety: dog attacks on children and the elderly, a high global share of rabies cases in India, and the failure of........

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