The Delhi High Court has initiated a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to monitor the implementation of the Supreme Court's directions regarding the management of stray dogs in the national capital.

A division bench comprising Justice Dinesh Mehta and Justice Rajneesh Kumar Gupta issued notices to the Delhi government, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Union government, directing them to submit a comprehensive status report by July 31 on the steps taken to comply with the Supreme Court's orders.The report is to be filed before the next hearing scheduled for August 3.

During the proceedings, the bench observed that dog bite incidents are being reported frequently and stressed the need to strike a balance between the concerns of animal lovers and the safety of the general public.

The judges also noted the visible presence of stray dogs within the Delhi High Court premises, questioning whether some of the collared dogs were owned or merely roaming freely.

The case has been registered following the Supreme Court's May 19, 2026 judgment directing every High Court in the country to oversee compliance with its nationwide guidelines on stray dog management.

Those directions include ensuring that stray dogs removed from sensitive public locations such as schools, hospitals, railway stations and bus depots are not released back into the same areas after sterilisation and vaccination.

The Supreme Court also permitted the euthanasia of rabid or dangerously aggressive dogs in accordance with the law, called for the creation of designated feeding zones, and held state chief secretaries personally accountable for implementing its directions effectively.