Delhi Stray Dog Drive In Chaos: Shelters Missing, Rules Broken

In just 8 weeks, nearly 10 lakh stray dogs in Delhi-NCR are set to be removed from the streets under a Supreme Court directive. But a ground investigation by India Today reveals a disturbing reality — Delhi has no dedicated dog shelters and only 20 sterilisation centres with a combined capacity of 2,500 dogs. Many facilities are dysfunctional: the Tughlaqabad centre is run by an NGO with a controversial track record, the Lajpat Nagar unit was locked and unresponsive, and the Masoodpur facility was understaffed, unsanitary, and lacked proper records. Experts warn the sterilisation target of 70% is impossible under current conditions, raising questions over the plan’s execution and animal welfare standards.