‘Removed from reality’: SC pushes back on Sharmila Tagore's plea in stray dogs case — what court said

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Friday continued hearing pleas seeking changes to its earlier order on stray dogs, with actor Sharmila Tagore appearing as one of the applicants through her counsel.

The top court sharply pushed back against the submissions made on Tagore’s behalf, saying such arguments were “completely removed from reality."




Appearing for Tagore, counsel told the court that there cannot be a “one size fits all” solution when it comes to stray dogs on the streets. It said the issue must be looked at through science and psychology, adding that while the Animal Birth Control (ABC) rules may not be perfect, they need to be reviewed, not discarded.

The counsel said the law already recognises a difference between normal street dogs and aggressive dogs and argued that some aggressive dogs can improve after treatment and behavioural care, though it accepted that aggression can return in some cases. Such dogs, he said, must be clearly identified by designated committees.

When the Counsel cited example of a long-standing stray dog at AIIMS, the court said any dog living on the streets is likely to carry ticks and warned that allowing such animals inside hospitals could have “disastrous consequences”. The judges told the counsel not to romanticise the presence of dogs in sensitive public spaces.

"Was she being taken to the hospital theatre also? Any dog that’s in the streets is bound to have ticks. And a dog with ticks in a hospital will have disastrous consequences. Do you understand? We’ll let you know the reality of what is being argued. You (the dog lover’s side) are completely removed from reality. Don’t try to glorify these dogs in the hospitals," the bench said.

Suggestions like colour-coded collars to identify dogs with a history of biting were also raised by Tagore's counsel, citing examples from other countries. The court questioned the comparison and asked lawyers to remain realistic, pointing to differences in population size.

The Supreme Court was hearing petitions seeking modification of its earlier directions in the stray dog matter.
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