Animal lovers and caregivers from across the capital staged a protest at Connaught Place on Tuesday against the Supreme Court's directive to relocate all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR to shelter homes, saying the move would harm the animals and disrupt the bond they share with the local communities.
About 15 animal rights activists were detained and taken to a nearby police station after a scuffle broke out between the agitators and the police.
The protesters were seen holding placards reading "Beware: Kaal Bhairav is watching" and "Stop relocation, we stand in solidarity against the SC verdict", etc.
Many also displayed a picture of Lord Shiva with a dog seated next to him, symbolising the cultural and spiritual connection between humans and animals.
Some were even moved to tears, urging, "Please let them be free. They are like small kids."
The protesters argued that community dogs should not be confined to shelters, pointing out that people often feed them on specific religious occasions when priests advise it.
"They are voiceless creatures, how will they express themselves," asked a demonstrator.
While admitting that dog bite incidents do occur, they insisted that the government should address the issue through strict implementation of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, which mandate sterilisation, vaccination and the return of dogs to their original areas, rather than removing them from the streets.
The demonstration followed Monday's Supreme Court order, which described the stray dog situation in the national capital as "extremely grim", and directed Delhi government and civic bodies to begin picking up strays from all neighbourhoods and house them in shelters at the earliest.
Animal welfare groups fear that mass relocation could lead to overcrowding, inadequate care and increased health risks for the animals, many of whom are accustomed to living freely in their familiar surroundings.
They said the focus should be on sustained sterilisation drives, better public awareness and coexistence measures to manage the city's community dogs.