Hundreds of animal lovers, along with street dogs, gathered on Chennai’s Canal Road on Sunday to protest the Supreme Court’s order to capture and confine stray dogs, especially in Delhi. Approx 500 people, including children and youngsters, joined the demonstration carrying placards that read “Speak for the Voiceless”, “Home is Not a Cage”, and “End the Injustice Against Delhi Street Dogs”. The protest was led by animal rights activist Sai Vignesh, who called the Court’s decision “unscientific and immoral”.

Vignesh warned that authorities in other states may also try to follow the same order, which could cause widespread suffering to animals. He stressed that India already has the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules 2023, a humane and scientific method to control stray dog populations and eliminate rabies. These rules are backed by the World Health Organisation and have helped cities like Goa and Jaipur become rabies-free through sterilisation and vaccination, not confinement.

Responding to concerns about dog bites, Vignesh said such incidents are being overemphasised. He pointed out cases where stray dogs have shown courage and loyalty, like saving a woman from assault in Maharashtra and rescuing a baby in Bhopal. “Just because some men commit crimes, we don’t cage all men. The same applies to dogs,” he argued.

He also explained that it is impossible to cage all stray dogs in India. With nearly six crore stray dogs, the government does not have the resources or shelters to house them. Moreover, dogs are territorial animals, and locking unfamiliar ones together often causes fights, disease, and death.

The protesters demanded compassionate, practical solutions, reminding authorities of Article 51A(g) of the Constitution, which urges citizens to show kindness to all living beings. Their message was simple: caging is not the answer. The real solution lies in birth control, vaccination, and involving communities in caring for street dogs.