SC Orders Stray Dog Removal in Delhi-NCR; MCD Faces ₹11 Crore Daily Cost

The Supreme Court recently ordered the removal of all stray dogs from the Delhi-NCR region. Following this order, the MCD has sprung into action. However, the biggest challenge before the MCD is funding. This is because removing over 1 million dogs from Delhi-NCR and sending them to safe shelter homes is estimated to cost as much as Rs 11 crore per day. This amount would include expenses for dog food, transportation, cleaning, medical care, and other essentials needed for staff. However, the MCD is already facing a financial crisis, which could make this plan even more difficult.

According to a report by the Hindustan Times, although the Supreme Court has ordered that all stray dogs in Delhi be shifted to shelter homes, this task is far from easy. Initial estimates suggest the daily cost could be Rs 11 crore.

According to officials, each dog will cost at least Rs 110 a day.Food, transportation, housekeeping, healthcare, personnel, and utilities are all included in this. This figure highlights the heavy financial impact of the Supreme Court’s recent order on the transfer of stray dogs.

Rs 110 to be spent on each dog

Although preliminary discussions have been held to evaluate costs and possible shelter places, MCD officials stated on Wednesday that they are still awaiting the Supreme Court's formal decision outlining future action.Food, transportation, cleaning, medical care, staff, and operating expenses like water and electricity are all included in the projected daily cost of owning a dog, according to data from shelter officials and operators.

Over 1 million dogs in Delhi

"The daily cost would be around Rs 11 crore if all of Delhi's estimated one million stray dogs were moved to shelters," a municipal official stated.Additionally, he stated that the original proposal only addresses "a few thousand" dogs, mostly those who have been involved in biting events on a regular basis or who suffer from illnesses.

Rs 1,000 spent on sterilising each dog

Currently, the MCD captures and sterilises over 350 dogs daily and releases them after 10 days of observation. The sterilisation process costs around ₹1,000 per dog. The Supreme Court’s complete order has directed Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and now Faridabad to create shelters for at least 5,000 dogs within 6–8 weeks and immediately start a dog-catching campaign.

How the dogs will be monitored

Counting the dogs, caring for them, sterilising them, and providing all necessary needs is a major challenge for the MCD. To reduce this burden, the corporation is considering a microchipping process attaching a chip to each dog containing information about its vaccinations and sterilisation.

On an 80-acre plot near Ghogha Dairy, officials claimed, a large shelter home is planned, and other sites, such as Dwarka Sector 29, have also been explored.However, the ultimate court order will determine the extent of the transfer."The resources may practically never be sufficient if all dogs have to be transferred," stated another municipal official.