The Supreme Court of India made a new directive on the management of stray dogs in Delhi on 26 August 2025. The Court responded to the people and the outcry of the earlier policy that was perceived as unrealistic and not beneficial to human and animal lives. In the new rules, non-aggressive and non-rabid stray dogs can be sterilised, vaccinated, dewormed and sent back to their natural habitats. The designation of this strategy is to curb the stray dogs in a humane manner without the propagation of rabies and other diseases. Nevertheless, violent or rabid dogs will not be considered in this release policy and should be treated differently, which will give more priority to the safety of the people. The ruling stresses the need to balance animal welfare and the protection of citizens, and the municipal authorities are supposed to take these steps effectively. The case is an attempt on the part of the Court to develop a practical, humane and scientific policy on urban stray animals.