The state’s urban development department on Monday issued a Government Resolution (GR) following directions passed by the Supreme Court in a suo motu case concerning attacks by stray dogs
The state’s urban development department issued a Government Resolution on Monday. Representational Pic/File/iStock
The Maharashtra government on Monday instructed all urban local authorities to ensure the compulsory immunisation of stray dogs and to establish dedicated helplines for public grievances, reported the PTI.
The state’s urban development department issued a Government Resolution (GR) in this regard, following directions repeatedly passed by the Supreme Court in a suo motu case concerning attacks by stray dogs.
The GR noted that the Supreme Court has been taking “serious note” of the rising number of incidents involving stray dogs while hearing Suo Motu Writ Petition No. 05/2025.
According to the GR, all municipal corporations, councils and nagar panchayats must capture, register, vaccinate, and sterilise stray dogs within their jurisdiction, and are required to create shelters or designated holding facilities for animals seized during these drives.
“Urban authorities have been instructed to identify specific feeding points for stray dogs and ensure feeding occurs solely at these authorised locations. Action must be taken against individuals feeding dogs in open or unauthorised areas. Every urban authority must publicly display a helpline number for reporting stray dog-related concerns and resolve such complaints without delay,” the GR stated, according to the PTI.
All municipal medical facilities are mandated to maintain an adequate stock of anti-rabies vaccines and immunoglobulin, while urban authorities must establish well-equipped veterinary hospitals, as previously mandated.
A state-level coordination mechanism has also been formed, with the Commissioner and Director of Municipal Council Administration, Navi Mumbai, appointed as the nodal officer to ensure uniform enforcement of the Supreme Court’s directions across all urban authorities, it added.
The GR cautioned that failure to comply with these directions will be treated as contempt of the Supreme Court, with responsible officials being held personally accountable.
In its interim ruling dated November 7, 2025, the apex court directed that stray dogs be removed from public areas, including railway stations, bus terminals, and schools. The court further stipulated that the animals should be vaccinated and relocated to animal shelters, rather than being returned to the locations from which they were collected.
The Supreme Court bench had directed the authorities to prevent the ingress of stray dogs into the premises of government and private educational institutions and hospitals, etc., to prevent dog bite incidents.
(with PTI inputs)
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