On a rainy Thursday morning at Bandra’s Carter Road, over a hundred people came together for a silent gathering to voice their support for stray dogs. The initiative, led by actor Sumeet Raghvan and supported by NGO Dog Mantra, urged the government to take humane and practical measures for strays, rather than displacing them.
Sumeet, who had announced the gathering on social media a day earlier, expressed his gratitude for the turnout despite the weather. “I am glad to see people coming here despite the weather. We are all here for the same purpose – along with the help of NGO Dog Mantra – we are collecting signatures from everyone present here and will send them to the Chief Minister so that this matter can be taken ahead. This should reach people and authorities so the right steps can be taken,” he said.
Actress
Neha Pendse, a dog lover who has a pet at home, also joined the protest. “Everyone knows I am a dog lover, and we all think that these strays should be vaccinated. Taking them away isn’t the right way to go about it. After I saw Sumeet sir’s video, I decided to be here for this gathering,” she said. Eshaan, a student, said, “Through this gathering, we want people to understand that we care for strays and we all should focus on getting them vaccinated, so that they don’t spread any disease or rabies. The steps should be taken in the right direction.”
The crowd, ranging from college students to long-time pet owners, carried banners and chanted slogans like “Awara nahi hamara hain”, reflecting the collective spirit.
What happened:On August 11, the Supreme Court ordered authorities in Delhi-NCR to capture thousands of stray dogs from public spaces and move them to designated shelters, with no return to the streets. The directive triggered backlash from animal welfare groups, activists and pet owners, who called for sterilisation and vaccination drives instead of mass relocation. Amid mounting protests, a three-judge bench took over the case on August 14. In subsequent hearings, the court questioned whether adequate shelters exist and criticised local bodies for failing to implement existing guidelines. No stay has been issued, but the bench has reserved its verdict on whether to alter or uphold the August 11 order.
We run a shelter in Thane for strays and ensure they are fed and vaccinated. Our question is that where will these strays be taken? Are there proper arrangements for them? Will they be taken care of and vaccinated?
– Esha Honnewmadi and Muskaan Arora from the NGO, Citizens for Animal Protection