Mumbai: Bollywood star and animal welfare advocate John Abraham has stepped into the legal arena, urging Chief Justice of India BR Gavai to reconsider the Supreme Court’s controversial order to confine Delhi’s street dogs in shelter homes. Calling the move “impractical and cruel,” Abraham argued that these animals are an integral part of the city’s social fabric and deserve to live freely in the communities they have known for generations.
In a heartfelt letter to the Chief Justice, the actor stressed that street dogs should not be seen as unwanted strays but as “community dogs” — animals respected, cared for, and coexisting with residents in every lane and neighbourhood. “They are very much Delhiites in their own right,” he wrote, noting that many of these dogs have lived alongside humans for decades, surviving through mutual tolerance and kindness.
Abraham’s stance finds backing in both science and law. Citing the World Health Organisation’s recommendations and India’s Animal Birth Control (ABC) Dog Rules, 2023, he reminded the CJI that the legally mandated approach is to sterilise and vaccinate street dogs before returning them to their original territories — not to permanently lock them away. According to him, this policy has been designed to control the street dog population humanely, while preventing the chaos and health hazards that arise when territorial packs are displaced.
The actor also raised a red flag over the massive logistical and public health implications of removing an estimated 19 lakh street dogs from the streets of Delhi. “Such a move would not only be impossible to carry out humanely,” he warned, “but could trigger dangerous ecological imbalances, including a spike in rodent populations and other disease vectors.”
Animal rights groups across the country have rallied behind Abraham’s appeal, accusing the current order of ignoring years of scientific evidence and legal precedent. They argue that shelter homes are already overcrowded and underfunded, often failing to meet even basic welfare standards. Confining millions of dogs, they say, would condemn them to a lifetime of stress, disease, and early death.
