A Letter of Entreaty and Pragmatism: Securing Public Spaces Through Humane and Sustainable Policy

To: The Chief Secretary,  Government of Karnataka 

Subject: A Collaborative and Phased Approach to the Supreme Court Directive of November 7, 2025, on Stray Dog Management in Institutional Premises—Ensuring Compassionate, Sustainable, and Legal Compliance.

Dear Madam:

We write to you today on behalf of the committed Animal Welfare Organizations (AWOs), community feeders, and responsible citizens across Karnataka. We recognize and deeply respect the gravity of the Supreme Court's directive of November 7, 2025, which holds the Chief Secretary personally responsible for ensuring the removal and permanent relocation of stray dogs from five specific institutional spaces—educational institutions, hospitals, sports complexes, bus depots, and railway stations. We have read the Govt Order and Circular from your office on this subject (attached below). We are completely understand the State’s charter to secure public safety and ensure compliance. Human -Animal Coexistence is our focus as well, and we have worked tirelessly on this over the last two decades.

However, the flurry of immediate activity we now observe, driven by urgency rather than clarity, could likely create an avoidable tragedy. We  appreciate the GoK’s efficient and prompt response, (particularly in its kind, strong circular on free  animal and snake bite treatment), but also implore the Government of Karnataka to pause, reflect and proceed - to look upon the helpless eyes of a puppy or an old, quiet dog sleeping in a corner of a school, and to think through the four critical implications of this mandate: financial, operational, human, and compassionate.

The Cruel Paradox: Undoing Years of Successful Management

Karnataka, particularly Bengaluru, has been a national leader in implementing the scientifically sound Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, based on the Capture-Sterilize-Vaccinate-Return (CSVR) model. This pragmatic, long-term strategy is already yielding results:

• Proven Success: Official surveys by the BBMP show that the stray dog population in Bengaluru has declined by a notable 10% compared to 2019, a success directly attributed to the "effective implementation of Animal Birth Control measures".   

• High Coverage: Since April 2020, over 2.75 lakh stray dogs have been neutered in BBMP limits. This achievement places the state squarely on the path toward meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) goals for rabies eradication.   

The Supreme Court’s November 7 directive, which prohibits the release of sterilized and vaccinated dogs back to their original locations, fundamentally undermines this success. Forced, sudden, and permanent mass impoundment will inevitably lead to the "Vacuum Effect," where the removed, stable population is rapidly replaced by new, unsterilized, and unvaccinated dogs from surrounding areas, thereby increasing the risk of dog bites and rabies and nullifying years of public investment.   

The Impossible Burden of Haste

The immediate and unverified collection of dogs is not only cruel but operationally and financially unviable, making it a distinctly retrograde step:

1. Staggering Financial Outlay: The mandate requires the immediate, perpetual housing of tens of thousands of animals. Based on similar municipal projections,(and apart from the infra of 2.5 crores per 50 dog shelter) the daily maintenance cost for permanent impoundment is estimated at around ₹110 per animal per day. Scaling this across the state translates into a massive, non-productive recurrent expenditure of hundreds of crores annually, which will inevitably divert funds from the successful ABC/ARV program.  A neutered dog that cost a one-time 3000 for ABC and ARV now costs up to 75000 to 100000 per year in a shelter.  

2. Logistical Impossibility: The instruction to create "impenetrable fences" and secure porous public spaces like extensive bus stands and train stations is logistically difficult and time-consuming. Furthermore, civic officials in other major cities acknowledge the failure to act due to a critical lack of facilities to accommodate large numbers of dogs outside of temporary ABC post-operative centers.  

3. Risk of Extreme Cruelty: The sudden urgency and the lack of clarity down the line will result in "imprudent and impulsive pickups without adequate backup." Dogs do not read the papers or know they are suddenly "public enemy number one." Without proper infrastructure, training, and certified staff, the rush will lead to horrendous cruelty in terms of traumatic capture, inadequate transportation, injury, and death, directly violating the spirit of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

A Call for Cautionary Circuit Breakers and Prudence

We are encouraged by the fact that the Supreme Court’s order, and sound legal interpretation, implicitly requires specific, verifiable preconditions before any mass permanent relocation can legally or humanely take place. The SC itself ordered the fencing of government institutions to bar entry. Therefore, starting the collection of dogs before these prerequisites are met would be both illegal, inappropriate, and logistically unsound.   

We urgently seek a collaborative, pragmatic, and compassionate pause, grounded in a phased, pre-compliance strategy:

• File an Affidavit Detailing Constraints: We strongly encourage the Government of Karnataka to file a comprehensive affidavit with the Supreme Court. This submission must respectfully outline the genuine financial, logistical, and scientific constraints—detailing the success of the current ABC model and the devastating cost projections—and request a revised directive that prioritizes CNVR.   

• Implement a Humane Prerequisite Checklist: Before any mass collection drive is conceived, the government must certify the completion of the following essential checks, ensuring that pace is dictated by capacity, not panic:

  • Clear communication to all concerned institutions: The current circular to GoK officials has No 5 table that implies immediate pickup by authorities. (Removal, Sterilization, Vaccination, and Shelter Relocation of stray dogs from institutional premises. Jurisdictional Municipal Body / Animal Husbandry Department Continuous / ongoing) GoK must send out a SEPARATE circular to these institutions to prevent any cruelty. Many hospitals and colleges are already actioning this by rounding up dogs or calling shelters to take them. The fact that it can be done only AFTER the checklists are verified and ONLY by accredited municipal ABC/NGO partners must be communicated. Else many dog haters are already using this as an excuse  to get rid of their sterivaxed dogs. A young pup was hit on its head and permanently blinded at a Jayanagar school on Friday. IISc has already requested its 130 neutered community dogs to be picked up by a shelter, and these kind of reactive cases can spiral.

  • Phase I: Institutional Sealing First: Verification and certification must be conducted and submitted by the relevant authorities that the perimeter fencing and structural sealing of all five categories of institutional premises are completed and fully dog-proof. This action secures the premises as requested by the SC without compromising the animals.   

  • Phase II: Enumeration and Mapping: A detailed, scientifically rigorous census of dogs within the five areas must be completed, identifying their neuter/vaccination status, to ensure accurate resource allocation and accountability.   

  • Phase III: AWBI-Certified Shelter Capacity: Designated permanent shelters must be independently certified by an Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) nominated representative to meet the required capacity, including minimum kennel and staffing ratios, before any pick up is considered.

The seizing of dogs and the lack of clarity down the governmental chain will take us back a decade, causing agony and loss to animals and heartbreak to the responsible caretakers who have worked tirelessly to neuter/vaccinate, raise funds, feed and care for these animals for years, and the municipal authority like BBMP who has done its best to achieve the requisite ABC/ARV metrics

We urge the Government of Karnataka to lead with the compassion and pragmatism for which the state is known. A balanced, considered approach with time to breathe and evaluate alternatives is not defiance; it is the highest form of sensible governance.

Thanking You

Yours Sincerely,

Priya Chetty-Rajagopal

On Behalf of Animal Welfare Stakeholders of Karnataka

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Important Links:

Chief Secretary Circular to officials re SC 7 Nov 25 .pdf

Download PDF • 806KB

The circular based on SC orders directs all concerned departments to submit their compliance in the form of an Affidavit within the specified timeframes.

Actionable Point	Responsible Stakeholder	Deadline / Timeframe
Identification of all public and private institutional areas (schools, hospitals, bus/railway stations, sports complexes).	Concerned Department/Authority through local/municipal authorities	Within 2 weeks (by 21.11.2025)
Securing Institutional Premises (Fencing, boundary walls, gates) to prevent dog ingress.	Heads of institutions/District Magistrates through local/municipal authorities	Within 8 weeks (by 02.01.2026)
Appointment of a Nodal Officer at institutional premises.	Heads of Institutions/Management	Immediate implementationadvised
Quarterly Inspection of premises and reporting lapses.	Local Municipal Authorities / Panchayati Raj Institutions	Every 3 months (Quarterly)
Removal, Sterilization, Vaccination, and Shelter Relocation of stray dogs from institutional premises.	Jurisdictional Municipal Body / Animal Husbandry Department	Continuous / ongoing
Maintenance of mandatory stock of Anti-Rabies Vaccine & Immunoglobulin in all Govt. hospitals.	Department of Health & Family Welfare	Continuous / ongoing
Issue detailed SOPs for dog-bite prevention & stray dog management nationwide.	Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI)	Within 4 weeks (by 05.12.2025)
Removal & Relocation of all cattle and stray animals from National/State Highways and Expressways.	Municipal Authorities; Road & Transport Dept.; PWD; NHAI	Ongoing (Compliance affidavit status within 8 weeks)
File Compliance Affidavit showing steps taken to secure premises, inspection mechanism, and ARV/IG availability.	Chief Secretaries (States/UTs)	Within 8 weeks (by 02.01.2026)