Former Union Minister, Residents Demand Action on Stray Dog Issue

Swift Summary

• Former Union Minister Vijay Goel joined Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) in Delhi to protest at Jantar Mantar about the increasing “street dog menace.”
• Mr. Goel stated concerns over the rise of stray dog attacks, primarily affecting children, women, and elderly residents, leading to public fear and restricted outdoor activities.
• He highlighted that Delhi has approximately 7 lakh stray dogs and stressed that sterilization alone is inadequate.He proposed mass relocation of aggressive dogs to designated shelters with appropriate care.
• Mr. Goel argued that managing stray dogs is the government’s duty and called for enforcing a strict “No Dogs on Streets” policy.
• Protestors displayed posters urging stern action against individuals feeding street dogs.
• the Supreme Court commented earlier in the week during a hearing on harassment claims involving feeding stray dogs: “Why don’t you feed them in your own house?”

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indian Opinion Analysis

The protest led by Vijay Goel underscores an urgent civic issue faced by many urban residents-balancing animal welfare with public safety. While sterilization programs have traditionally been advocated as humane solutions for controlling dog populations, their effectiveness appears limited given reports of ongoing attacks in areas like parks and residential colonies.

The call for mass relocation or sheltering aggressively behaving strays represents a shift toward more direct intervention. However, large-scale implementation would require robust infrastructure investments from municipal authorities and clear policy guidelines to avoid ethical dilemmas surrounding animal treatment.

Further complicating matters are diverging perspectives among citizens-while some view street feeding as compassionate behavior fostering coexistence, others see it as exacerbating risks posed by strays.Government policymakers will need careful dialogue with stakeholders like RWAs to craft actionable solutions addressing both humanitarian concerns and neighborhood safety.

It remains unclear how feasible immediate measures such as imposing fines or relocating thousands of animals are within existing legal frameworks or budgets. Continued judicial commentary-as reflected in remarks made by the Supreme Court-may influence future regulatory responses.