A few days after the onset of late July 2025, the Supreme Court of India conducted a suo motu cognisance of the rising numbers of stray dog attacks and deaths caused by rabies, mostly among children. Due to alarming media reports, a bench of Justice J. B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan opined that the situation is ‘extremely grim’, and the matter was subsequently referred to CJI B. R. Gavai. On 11 August 2025, the bench gave detailed guidelines to Delhi-NCR, stating that every stray dog should be taken off the streets and taken to shelters. The order did not allow them to be released into localities and threatened a penalty to a person who hinders it. The guidelines emphasised the health and safety of the people, especially the safety of children. On 12 August 2025, actor John Abraham submitted a petition to the CJI, terming the order as inhumane and impractical and seeking the Court to reconsider the same in light of the humane co-existence that exists between citizens and stray dogs. On his part, CJI Gavai emphatically promised, “I will look into it.”