Bollywood actor John Abraham on Tuesday wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of India, requesting him to review the recent order passed by the Supreme Court regarding stray dogs. The 52-year-old actor, in his strongly worded letter, urged Justice BR Gavai to reconsider his decision to shift Delhi’s stray dogs to shelters and distant places.
John called the apex court’s order ‘impractical’ and ‘inhumane’, stating that the community dogs are widely admired by many. “I hope you will agree that these are not ‘strays’ but community dogs – respected and loved by many, and very much Delhiites in their own right, having lived in the region as neighbours to humans for generations,” he wrote in his letter.
The actor further highlighted that the order doesn’t align with the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Dog Rules 2023. The rule mandates sterilisation, vaccination, and return of stray dogs to their original habitats. “With an estimated 10 lakh community dogs, Delhi’s canine population is its true residents. It is neither practical nor humane to shelter or relocate them all,” he appealed.
John was appointed earlier this year as PETA India’s first honorary director. He wrote to the CJI to look into the matter through “compassion, science-based solutions, and compliance with Indian law” to ensure the safety of animals.
“By contrast, displacement simply fails. Delhi has an estimated 10 lakh dogs. It is neither practical nor humane to shelter or relocate them all, and removal only opens the door for unfamiliar, unsterilised, and unvaccinated dogs to move in, leading to greater competition, territorial disputes, and public health risks. I respectfully request a review and modification of this judgment in favour of the lawful, humane, and effective ABC approach, which safeguards public health while honouring the constitutional values of compassion and coexistence, a stand the Supreme Court has consistently upheld since 2015,” he added.
SC Orders Relocation Of All Stray Dogs In Delhi-NCR
In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court on Monday directed that all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR be moved from the streets to designated shelters to reduce the increasing number of attacks, particularly on children. Hearing the matter on its own, the bench said the move was “for nothing else but public good” and directed that the shelters be equipped with CCTV cameras “to ensure that dogs are not released”, while authorities must begin rounding up strays “from all localities, more particularly vulnerable localities and cities”. Additionally, Delhi Government, MCD and NDMC have been directed to start the process of picking up stray dogs from all areas soon.
