Supreme Court rejects plea seeking direction to prevent cruelty to dogs in animal birth control centres
The Supreme Court of India dismissed a plea seeking stricter enforcement of animal birth control regulations and the prevention of cruelty in shelters. The court declined to intervene in the current regulatory framework managed by the Animal Welfare Board of India.
Why it matters
This decision impacts animal welfare policy and the operational standards for municipal animal control programs across India.
The Supreme Court on Monday (July 27, 2026) refused to entertain a plea seeking a direction to the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to take effective action to address the issue of cruelty to dogs in animal birth control centres and shelters.
The Supreme Court dismissed the plea, which also sought a direction to the Centre, all States and Union Territories (UTs) to ensure that no municipal body or local authority engages any animal welfare organisation for conducting animal birth control operations unless it holds a valid project recognition certificate from the AWBI.
According to the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, no animal birth control programme for street dogs shall be conducted unless the local authority or animal welfare organisation has obtained a certificate of project recognition for conducting such a programme under the rules.
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